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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25003174">8 | Only you</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ELC01/pseuds/ELC01'>ELC01</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>It’s you [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Styles (Fandom), Harry Styles - Fandom, One Direction (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 04:41:07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>54,647</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25003174</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ELC01/pseuds/ELC01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>With such a magnetic attraction, they could afford to wait for their perfect moment.</p><p>So, when the time is right, Harry and Eloise finally get to embark on something magical together.</p><p>Navigating their blossoming relationship through tours and a burgeoning new career, the hiatus and new directions, they experience all manner of highs and lows.</p><p>They'll face revelations and illnesses, break ups and make ups, weddings and anniversaries. But whose?</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Eighth in a series of interconnected select moments, exploring the developing relationship between Harry and Eloise.</p><p>This eighth instalment takes place between March - September 2017, picking up right after all the events of the preceding chapters:</p><p>'1 | Back to you (Prologue)'<br/>‘2 | You, again’<br/>‘3 | You &amp; I’<br/>‘4 | You with me’<br/>'5 | You without me'<br/>'6 | Back to you'<br/>‘7 | Adore you’.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Harry Styles/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>It’s you [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1528811</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Part A</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Please note:</p><p>This is intended as an exercise in character development and descriptive writing. Any mistakes are my own.</p><p>Harry features heavily - because he's incredibly charismatic and so talented - but I feel a little out of my comfort zone writing RFC, so will be mindful to be as respectful as possible.</p><p>Disclaimer: I have no links to Harry or any of his associates. Rather, I am just borrowing him and them as familiar points of reference for not-for-profit artistic license.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>5th March 2017</p><p>With a bit of a scramble after his surprise, Eloise and Harry arrive back in London on Sunday morning, accompanied by Jeff too.</p><p>After a quiet afternoon unpacking and repacking again, ready for their holiday, Eloise leaves the boys reviewing the schedule for the busy couple of days ahead and the few things Harry needs to be aware of whilst they'll be away.</p><p>She pops out for dinner at the local pub with Ollie, keen to catch up properly for the first time since his break up in the New Year.</p><p>&gt;<br/>&gt;</p><p>6th March 2017</p><p>The next morning, they have an early start, meeting his stylist, Harry Lambert, and Creative Director, Molly, for a day of fittings for upcoming photoshoots, editorial shoots, the music video, and to chat about the latest ideas for the tour.</p><p>Keen to keep her close and always appreciative of her good eye, Harry insists Eloise comes along too. He tries pitching it as the beginning of their holiday.</p><p>But she'd never turn down a day hanging out with him and his fun team; not least when he's likely to spend at least half of it stripped down to his boxers.</p><p>Yes, please.</p><p>&gt;<br/>&gt;</p><p>7th March 2017</p><p>It's yet another early start on Tuesday, shooting the artwork for his debut album with the photographer Harley Weir.</p><p>When Eloise arrives at the north London studio later that morning, after meeting her agent, Charles, for a breakfast meeting, the shots are already looking achingly beautiful.</p><p>The arty pink and petal-strewn aesthetic and the moody and reflective feel are suitably suggestive of a rebirth or at least a reimagining.</p><p>There's a vulnerability and sensitivity to the poses and images; with his face always at least partially obscured, and the focus on the bare skin of his back, largely free of his easily identifiable ink.</p><p>His pretty features - the captivating crystalline sage green of his eyes in the studio lighting, defined cheekbones, the soft pink of his cupid's bow lips, and wet hair curling into twisted tendrils - are offset by the toned muscles of his lean frame, showcased in clinging damp fabrics in a variety of recumbent poses.</p><p>Harry, as always, lightens the mood. He chases her around the studio all afternoon wanting soggy hugs; aggressively so in the blue velvet suit - knowing the feel of the fabric makes her skin crawl. Who knew it's even worse wet than dry?</p><p>She is still picking petals and other detritus from the milky pink water out of his hair on the drive home.</p><p>They order in some sushi for dinner before heading straight upstairs early; to shower, finish packing and climb into bed, setting one final alarm clock.</p><p>&gt;<br/>&gt;</p><p>8th March 2017</p><p>They've all been quietly dozing in the car since their pick-up at 4.15am, so are taken aback when they're unexpectedly set upon by the few paparazzi loitering outside Heathrow Terminal 5 departures.</p><p>The pop of the camera flashes against the dark of the early morning is disorientating.</p><p>Whether the photographers were tipped off or just got lucky, they wind into a frenzy as soon as they spot him.</p><p>Louis' woes have continued. Having split with Danielle in early January, he's now back together with Eleanor.  When they landed at LAX together a couple of days ago, he'd shockingly been arrested after alleged altercations with a paparazzo and a couple of so-called fans.</p><p>Along with Zayn, he'd always been fiery and the most easily provoked, but this situation seemed extreme, even for him.</p><p>Harry hasn't managed to get hold of him to check-in, but, knowing Louis, presumes he'll bunker down, embarrassed, licking his wounds until the fuss dies down.</p><p>So he's even more wary of the paps than usual, and extra cautious when they descend on him and Eloise. They increase their pace, keep their heads down and keep quiet; resolutely ignoring them calling their names and firing questions, about both Louis and the status of their relationship.</p><p>Despite Jeff's best efforts, it gets a bit hectic as they swarm in close and put their cameras right in their faces. Without wanting to give them any fuel by raising his voice or doing anything that could be construed as defensive, Harry has to resort to taking Eloise's arm and pulling her close, bundling blindly through the automatic doors.</p><p>They've packed intentionally light - the luggage space in a Ferrari is no joke - so at least they can head straight to security and avoid revealing their destination at a designated check-in desk.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>After snatching more sleep in the lounge and on the plane, they land in Rome and head straight to Gucci's global design headquarters.</p><p>Eloise offers to make herself scarce, desperate to avoid being perceived as a clingy or meddling girlfriend, but Harry begs her to join them. "You've got a great eye, babe.  And you can help Jeff be the voice of reason when these two start getting carried away!".</p><p>What was that about meddling? If she were Harry Lambert or Molly she'd have been rolling her eyes at that.</p><p>The Palazzo Alberini is as stunning as you'd expect - a riotous fusion of classical structure and unexpected modernist touches. That theatrical blend of old and new, but all beautiful, forms Gucci's design ethos.</p><p>They meet with the brand's enigmatic Creative Director,  Alessandro Michele, and his senior design team.</p><p>He's a riot.  A wild and passionate visionary, but also focused and decisive.</p><p>He's dressed in more jewellery than Eloise has ever seen on one person. Multiple chunky rings adorn each of his fingers, ornate bracelets stack up his forearms, and he tops it with a huge statement necklace and chest piece. The rest of his outfit is no less casual.</p><p>After initial conversations and meetings, Harry's here to be measured and fitted for different cuts of suits and to make decisions on shortlisted fabric swatches. Gucci will exclusively dress him for every show of the first leg of the tour and some of the promo too, so there's a lot to prepare.</p><p>They're envisaging a relatively simple staging set up, and, as Harry can't help but move energetically around whilst performing, what he wears needs to be attention grabbing to lend visibility.</p><p>And it's a shrewd business move. Going out and doing the same thing for eighty or so nights over an extended period of time means that long tours aren't conducive to an artist's publicity and consistent media presence.</p><p>So having a unique and extravagant look for every show is genius.  All the more so when each will have come from one of the world's most lauded designers, from perhaps the biggest global fashion brand. It's guaranteed talkability.</p><p>In his last year with the band he'd already started making bolder fashion choices, so has some good foundations upon which to build. They're all intent on having some fun with it, and in Alessandro and Gucci, they have found the perfect partners.</p><p>The suit jacket samples include everything from double-breasted, longer lengths, extended lapels, and bold shoulders to narrow cropped cuts. The trousers range from straight cut to absolutely bonkers flares.</p><p>The books, palettes and rolls of fabric swatches are draped over every surface across the huge boardroom at the back of the design workshop.</p><p>Black beaded embellishments; on millennial pink and cobalt blue.</p><p>Velvets embellished with sequin detailing; in powder pink, rich black, and with silver stars.</p><p>Richly hued plain velvets; in teal, and smokey black.</p><p>Glittered fabrics; in lilac, gold and turquoise.</p><p>Floral and paisley prints; in riotous colour combinations.</p><p>Embellished satin prints; in baby blue, and black on black.</p><p>Checked prints; in muted dark pink, in cream and grey.</p><p>Exquisitely woven textures in bold fabrics; in spearmint green, and Barbie pink.</p><p>There are a few swatches she can't even begin to describe.</p><p>There are also silk shirts in every colour, and pussy bow blouses in metallic threaded silks - lilac, turquoise, gold, black.</p><p>It's all romantic and maximalist, but exquisitely cut and crafted. It suits Harry to a tee.</p><p>He's like a kid in a candy shop. On a massive sugar high.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>After grazing on a working lunch,  Alessandro bundles them downstairs hours later, insisting they head out for a proper meal, to celebrate.</p><p>On their way downstairs, grinning from ear to ear, Harry excitedly asks Eloise which was her favourite combination.</p><p>"I don't even know, that was sensory overload! You're going to look incredible in all of them, babe. But, hmmm...", she taps her chin. "I think I'd have to say that sketch of the cropped pink jacket embroidered with gold sequins, paired with the black trousers with the gold stripe".</p><p>"The velvet?", he checks, trying to recall the many options. "But you hate it!".</p><p>"I'm willing to love anything that makes your bum look like that!", she laughs, squeezing it cheekily.</p><p>He had been working out hard over the last couple of months in LA and already beefed up quite a bit.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Their late lunch melds straight into dinner.</p><p>Alessandro is enthralled with Harry and so excited about their collaboration and already bursting with other ideas.</p><p>Upon hearing about their holiday plans, he generously offers them his holiday home, but, then understanding their desire to roam freely, insists on at least giving them lists of must-see places and restaurants.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>After bidding goodbye to the exuberant Alessandro, they part too with Jeff, Molly and Harry Lambert when their car back to the airport arrives.</p><p>Once Harry has assured Jeff he'll keep him at least vaguely posted on where they are, and promised that he'll drive carefully, he officially signs off.</p><p>He's intent on disappearing for the entirety of the next two weeks; just the two of them, before all the madness really kicks off.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>They walk the couple of blocks to the opulent Hotel de la Ville, an 18th Century palazzo. He had booked one after all, just for their first night, needing an address to get the hire car delivered to.</p><p>After checking-in and leaving their bags with the concierge, they head straight back out again.</p><p>Hand in hand, they circle back to the Trevi fountain, lit up beautifully in the starry night sky.</p><p>It's brisk in the early March late evening, so there are relatively few other tourists and locals milling around, but they're comfortably bundled up in their shearling and leather coats, jeans and boots. No problem.  And with the collar of his coat popped up and the brim of his fedora pulled low, Harry's hard to recognise anyway.</p><p>He insists on finding a cashpoint and buying coffees, to get change for them to cast wishes as they throw pennies into the famed fountain's waters.</p><p>"Okay, surely there's some kind of a limit?", she chuckles after he hands over a fifth coin.</p><p>Perched on the edge of the fountain they share secretive but knowing grins as they sip their steaming drinks, before indulging in sweet kisses and a few rare selfies. They both hate them as a rule, but this is pretty damn romantic.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Still hand in hand and stealing more kisses along the way, they walk slowly back to the hotel and up to their suite.</p><p>It's insane; complete with an enormous bed, sofas and day beds galore, a huge marble bathroom and a wraparound roof terrace overlooking the Borghese Gardens.</p><p>Eloise snorts a laugh when she catches him taking a photo of the wild baroque wallpaper print to text to Harry Lambert and Alessandro. They may have created a monster.</p><p>Leaving him to it, she grabs her toiletries, intent on making the most of that dreamy bathroom.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Harry finds her wrapped in a towel, catching her eye in the mirror as she stands up straight and pats her face dry.</p><p>He can't help but smirk as he walks up behind her; roving eyes blatantly checking her out.</p><p>Stepping close behind her, he drops a kiss to her bare shoulder before hooking his chin over it. Eyeing her intently in the mirror, he palms her hips to pull her back into his.</p><p>"Ciao bella", the Italian drips sexily off his tongue. "Ti amo".</p><p>Smooth as fuck.</p><p>She wishes she could parry back with something clever to wipe that dimpled self-satisfied grin off his face, but he's already exhausted just about all their combined Italian.</p><p>They'll have to let their bodies do the talking instead.</p><p>And besides, that dimpled grin happens to be one of her very favourite things.</p><p>As he leans past her to reach into the marble shower and turn on the water, she spins in his arms, unbuckling his jeans to find something else she's pretty fond of.</p><p>&gt;<br/>&gt;</p><p>9th - 22nd March 2017</p><p>After a late breakfast in the sun, lounging entwined on a red and white striped sofa at the hotel's rooftop restaurant, they come up with a loose plan.</p><p>They've both been to Rome before, so don't feel a pressing need to tick off the sights again and are conscious that it's here that they'll probably need to be most mindful of the risk of him being spotted.</p><p>The car is due to be dropped off at the hotel for them just after lunch, when they need to check out anyway.</p><p>So, donning sunglasses, and a hat for Harry, they head outside for another stroll; this time in the other direction, to explore the nearby Borghese Gardens.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Returning back to the hotel, they head down to the spa to warm up in the sauna and steam rooms, and jump between them and the plunge pool for an hour or so, blissfully undisturbed.</p><p>Which is lucky, in more ways than one.</p><p>They enjoy the discretion the luxury hotel affords. With just a few older American tourists and Asian businessmen milling around, they're pretty much left alone.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>The few bemused looks increase at the throaty roar of its engine when the hire car is dropped off outside the lobby - no doubt wondering what two young twenty-somethings are doing in a hotel like this with supercar like that.</p><p>There was a technical problem with the vintage model, but the gorgeous 2014 Ferrari California T convertible in classic red is probably a slightly more practical and comfortable choice for their road trip anyway.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>From Rome, enjoying the car, they take the longer three and a half hour scenic route to drive south to Naples.</p><p>As a wind up, just to see her reaction, he fibs and says it was too extortionate to put them both on the insurance, but offers that she can have control of the music instead.</p><p>After just a little pouting, she takes it on the chin, and focuses instead on the ride, their chat and keeping him on his toes with some killer tunes.</p><p>If she can't drive a Ferrari through Italy, she decides the absolute next best thing is watching him enjoy it.</p><p>And he certainly does; not least because between changing gears, his hand rarely leaves its perch, high on her left thigh.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Arriving in Naples, they luck out and find a great hotel on the waterfront, with secure underground parking and an even better pizza place next door.</p><p>Gazing across the table at her, feeling a little hazy from the heater overhead and overindulging on cheese and chianti, he realises quite how much he wants to see her behind that wheel.</p><p>Confessing his little white lie, he swiftly promises she can drive the coastal road past Mount Vesuvius and Pompeii towards Sorrento, to make up for it.</p><p>After a brief squabble about her wanting to pay her way, he digs his heels in and reminds her the whole trip was his idea, and that she needs to let him treat her.</p><p>He's evidently a master negotiator; eventually conceding only that she can treat him to all the gelato and all the sexual favours she desires.</p><p>On reflection, Eloise decides that's a definite win-win.</p><p>Her only stipulation is that he needs to choose a different flavour and favour each time.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>The sunny but not quite balmy weather holds out for them, and, after spending a couple of days exploring the waterfront, parks, museums and shops of Naples, they move on.</p><p>Admittedly, they spent more than a fair bit of time exploring inside too - unashamedly feasting on pizza and red wine, guzzling gelato and rolling around in their bed sheets.</p><p>With Eloise gleefully behind the wheel, they continue around the bay towards the Amalfi Coast, stopping off on the way at the picturesque little villages, beaches and restaurants that take their fancy.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>In Sorrento, they take the hydrofoil for a day trip to the island of Capri, before then continuing back down the coast towards Positano and Amalfi.</p><p>They luck out finding charming little boutique hotels along the way.</p><p>Braving terrifying hairpins turns, winding roads built into coastal cliffs, and the locals' driving, it's all more than worth it for the gorgeous views, tiny cobbled streets to explore and incredible seafood.</p><p>Harry has travelled so extensively, but can't shake the feeling of delight at having time to actually explore properly at their leisure and with relative anonymity.</p><p>It's fairly quiet pre-season, with none of the crowds these towns will struggle to contain in the summer months.</p><p>Whilst the Ferrari gathers its own admiring glances, they notice a few curious looks here and there, but they aren't approached by any fans or even aware of having been photographed at all. </p><p>They mostly hang out with interesting old Nonnas over lengthy meals in traditional trattorias. They all prove more than happy to help Harry with his mission to build Eloise's curves back up.</p><p>Conscious of those bespoke Gucci suits being tailored for him right now, he's mindful to hold back from indulging quite so freely himself.</p><p>Their time in Italy can be summed up as fashion, feasting, fast cars and plenty of fucking.</p><p>It's everything they hoped it would be, and more.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Part B</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>22nd March 2017</p><p>Upon landing back home in London from Capodichino airport in Naples, Harry turns on his phone to see a text from Liam with an adorable photo, proudly introducing Bear.</p><p>He's thrilled for him, and after sniggering about it for only a couple of minutes or so to Eloise - who all the while just suppresses her own laughter at his antics, and focuses on her phone, ordering flowers and browsing for a gift - he pulls himself together and messages him back. And without any mention of the elephant in the room; it's a cute name for a baby boy, but surely they must realise it will soon enough be more fitting to some kind of WWF wrestler or second-rate superhero type? Oh, Liam!</p><p>God, as if Liam's a dad too now?</p><p>Harry adores kids, and babies especially, but he can't help but note there was definitely no room for a car seat in that Ferrari...</p><p>They're still so young. In many ways, they'd all had to mature quickly - moving away from home so early, travelling the world, navigating the industry, managing investments and the media alike. But in other ways, Liam and Louis are two of the very most immature people he has ever known.</p><p>He's pretty sure they always will be, and he loves them for it. Certainly never seen them leave a water bottle unscathed in each other's presence.</p><p>Having experienced him as 'Daddy Direction' for so long, Harry can't wait to see Liam in actual dad mode. He just hopes they're ready for visitors before he gets swept up with promo.</p><p>His wandering thoughts snap back into focus as they're set upon by paps when they exit Heathrow Terminal 5 arrivals. Fucking hell.</p><p>It's a stark reminder that their blissful Italian bubble has well and truly popped.</p><p>It was light, joyous and beautiful, but couldn't last forever.</p><p>&gt;<br/>&gt;</p><p>22nd March - 3rd April 2017</p><p>They're straight back at it, both juggling heavy schedules.</p><p>Eloise is dashing between meetings with the production company, Netflix and the BBC, kicking off pre-production for Killing Eve.</p><p>She's trying to join as many of the upfront discussions in person as possible, before she becomes a remote presence for a month or so, when she'll be travelling with Harry for much of his single and album promotion.</p><p>Around meetings, she's also juggling gruelling sessions with a personal trainer, getting intensive tuition for the fight choreography, and also general conditioning and cardio to get her strength and endurance back again.</p><p>And between those sessions, tired and aching, she's also working intensively with a renowned dialogue coach on both foreign languages and accented English.</p><p>She's never one to shy away from a challenge, but boy is she starting to regret being quite so ambitious with Villanelle... Russian, French, Italian, German, even Dutch. She's kicking herself for not cutting herself some slack and swapping in some Swedish.</p><p>Harry's used to her playfully breaking into silly accents at random to make him laugh. But between dialect lessons, she practises so much, he's never sure quite which accent to expect from her; the only guarantee is that it won't be her own.</p><p>It appears that she can switch effortlessly; but he sees first hand just how much honing and practise it really takes. It's fascinating.</p><p>Her talent and focus overwhelm him a little bit, truth be told.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Between all his band rehearsals, and endless scheduling updates, Harry popped over to New York for a couple of days with Jeffrey, Molly and Tom, to run through the final promo, launch and tour plans with the team at Columbia.</p><p>He returns home to find Ben already back over from LA, here to oversee the production and filming of the performances for the Behind the Album feature for Apple Music.</p><p>He's moved and emotional and just so excited to record in Studio One at the iconic Abbey Road Studios, literally treading in the footsteps of some of his idols - not least The Beatles.</p><p>Eloise watches from the wings, brimming with pride. At the songs and the band and their performances, of course, but mostly just at how much he loves it - evident in how relaxed and silly and goofy he's being.</p><p>She's just so excited for him; and also for everyone else, to finally get to hear it and really see him and fall in love with him too.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Allaying the anxiety Harry had admitted to back in Jamaica, the excited reaction to the teaser trailer for the single airing on TV on Saturday night proves his fanbase is very much intact, ready and waiting for him.</p><p>The mysterious short film depicts Harry, in dark damp clothing, emerging through fog in a darkened room, reaching to open a door and step into a blinding light, finally cutting to a close-up of those striking green eyes. It's overlaid with a simple piano melody, and closes with just the launch date appearing on screen at the end. There are no clues to the single's title, let alone its melody. It doesn't even feature Harry's name. It's simply to create intrigue and whet his loyal fans' appetite.</p><p>The hysteria grows exponentially again when Harry posts a still from the artwork shoot on his Instagram a few days later, finally revealing Sign of the Times' title a week before its release.</p><p>&gt;<br/>&gt;</p><p>4th April 2017</p><p>They had flown from Heathrow to Inverness, in Scotland, the afternoon before; a six hour journey door to door, that had them arriving at their hotel at 8pm.</p><p>Harry, Eloise, Jeff, Molly, Louise and Harry Lambert all hastily checked in and then reconvened in the hotel's bar for a light dinner before heading up to bed early, needing a good sleep in preparation for the full-on day to come. For one of them, in particular.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>It's pitch black outside and in their room when there's a chirpy knock on their door at 5am.</p><p>They had wisely realised last night that hair and make-up would be far more agreeable in the warmth and comfort of their hotel room than in the back of a van on a remote and windy hillside.</p><p>Eloise, wrapped in the fluffy duvet with only her face and feet poking out, opens the door a crack to reveal a smiling Lou.</p><p>Mumbling "He's in the shower" around a deep yawn, she bids her inside before bumbling straight over to the coffee station.</p><p>They'll need all the help they can get today.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>She's still in her duvet cocoon, shuffling back and forth to place their coffees on the dressing table singlehanded, when Harry emerges from the ensuite in a cloud of steam and just a low slung towel.</p><p>"Morning sunshine!", Lou trills from where she's unpacking her kit at the dressing table, laughing at his gravelly morning voice in reply.</p><p>Reaching to cover Lou's eyes with one hand, he squishes Eloise's cheeks cutely with the other and pecks her on the lips before dropping his hand to tug playfully at the duvet, nodding his head towards the ensuite bathroom, "Chop chop, babycakes!". Ogling her naked body, he smacks her bum cheekily as she skips past, chuckling at her yelp of surprise.</p><p>He quickly takes a seat in front of Lou, and as the door clicks shut, she bends over him and wraps her arms tightly around his shoulders, dropping a kiss against his damp curls.</p><p>"For the record, I fucking love how brightly she can make you smile, even at silly o'clock!".</p><p>"Me too", he says simply, looking at her in the mirror, hiding his smitten grin behind his coffee cup.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Arriving at the shoot location - an empty, grassy and apparently nondescript hillside - they're bundled into layers; wooly socks, insulated boots, long puffer coats, gloves and hats.</p><p>Standing close, trying to block the biting wind, they sip on coffees and munch on bacon sandwiches. Huddled around a monitor, they review the footage the director and crew shot yesterday; beautiful vistas and panoramic scenic shots for the background comps.</p><p>Not such a nondescript hillside after all, then. The view from up high is breathtaking.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>After his quick change in the wardrobe trailer, they first capture close-ups of Harry and then wider shots of him walking through the grassland.</p><p>Meanwhile, the rest of the crew work on setting up and testing the rigging for the more technical flying shots.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>As they huddle again for the safety briefing, Harry barks a laugh - only slightly nervy - when the director's demonstration is interrupted as the string tied below the toy helicopter unravels and the little figure drops to the floor.</p><p>Eloise can't help but wince, hoping to God it's not some kind of omen. Who's idea was this anyway? She turns and eyes Jeff narrowly. He's already looking a little pale and sweaty.</p><p>Harry can be a daredevil and an adrenaline junkie, but she cannot believe his management team and record label signed this off.</p><p>Warily eyeing the real helicopters and the crew scurrying around them, when Eloise turns back around again, he is being dragged back towards the wardrobe trailer.</p><p>She follows them over. It's nothing she hasn't seen before, and she'll take any excuse to both sneak a peek and get out of this wind.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Harry Lambert and a member of the production crew help wrestle him into a harness beneath his clothing.</p><p>She winces again, seeing them cut a hole for the harness into the back of the oversized Burberry cream cable knit jumper and the Gucci indigo cashmere woollen coat. That's almost £4,000 worth of brand new designer clothing ruined. And she'd totally been eyeing up both, fully intending to borrow them off him. Damn it.</p><p>By the time Harry has wrestled the harness and clothing on, they realise they've forgotten the essential thermal base layers underneath, and he has to strip off and start again.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>But, soon enough, he's dangling around fifty feet or so in the air, moving up and down on a crane arm to capture footage for the mid-range shots, and give him a feel for being suspended.</p><p>To the relief of the crew, he gets the Superman poses out of his system early on.</p><p>Back on the ground, he spends his time wincing at the harness and whining that it's dangerously close to pinching his junk.</p><p>To be fair, the thought worries Eloise a bit too.</p><p>Almost every time she looks at him, he's tugging at the harness and adjusting himself, or has his hands shamelessly down his trousers, desperately rearranging the goods.</p><p>When she playfully tries to step inside his roomy oversized puffer coat for a warming hug, he fends her off. "Yeah, that absolutely will not help! Sorry babe, but you'll have to snuggle with Lou or Jeff instead... Think of the long game".</p><p>Fair enough. A harness and a hard on sounds like a recipe for disaster.</p><p>But neither that nor the cold and windy conditions dampen his spirit. He smiles brightly all day, disbelieving that he's here, shooting his debut solo video, and knowing that it's going to be epic.</p><p>He distracts her from his necessary distance and her nerves at his imminent stunt work with some silly antics, terrorising her with the silicone cast of his head for the stunt double.</p><p>It's the stuff of literal nightmares, and looks far more like Michael Myers than Harry Styles to her. Hopefully they're intending to film it without any zoom?</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Soon enough, the moment has arrived and he's winched up to dangle from underneath a helicopter. They climb higher and higher, to a terrifying 1,500 feet up in the air.</p><p>Despite the adverse weather, he's a total pro and absolutely buzzing.</p><p>Eloise can almost see his beaming smile from the ground.</p><p>Meanwhile, she and Jeff huddle close with baited breath, totally beside themselves and barely able to watch.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>It's always windy enough on the Isle of Skye as it is, but the constant thrum of the two helicopters - one suspending him, one filming him - is disorientating.</p><p>Eloise can only wonder how Harry must be feeling, being buffeted around up there.</p><p>Between the few different set ups, he is let down and ushered to sit in the back of a van, wrapped in a puffer coat and blankets to warm up.</p><p>Leaning into her side, he admits it's surprisingly hard work. He's starting to feel exhausted - from all that fresh air and from working his core to stay upright and control his movements.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>After a long but incredible day, they wrap at sunset and pile into a van to return to the Kinloch Lodge hotel. It's stunning, sitting on the waterside with views right across Loch na Dal.</p><p>Harry jumps straight into the roll-top bath to warm up, staring at the view in front of him.</p><p>Eloise in the shower totally distracts him from that magnificent body of water through the window.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>She is sat at the dressing table, drying her her as he lays down on the bed in his towel, slipping stealthily under the duvet.</p><p>"Dangerous!", she calls over the hair dryer.</p><p>He's out cold before she's even finished; turned to lie on his front, with his arms and legs wrapped around her pillow.</p><p>After throwing on some clothes, she tries to wake him. But other than loosely grappling to pull her towards him, he doesn't properly stir. "Rest up, baby. Join us later if you fancy it", she whispers, pressing a kiss to his forehead.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>They've finished their dinner and sit slowly sipping wine in front of the roaring fire when he appears sheepishly around the corner.</p><p>Wrapped up cosily in black sweatpants, a grey knitted jumper and his pink beanie, he's sleepy and snuggly as he slides into the booth alongside Eloise and melts into her side.</p><p>As the barman returns to bring a glass for Harry and top up their wine, she asks him to fetch the meal she'd ordered for him from where it sits on the kitchen pass, keeping warm.</p><p>A hearty pea risotto with scallops. It hits the spot perfectly.</p><p>Sitting by a blazing fire with his girl and some of his very best mates, drinking great wine, he can't help but reflect on an unforgettable day.</p><p>"Today was a good day", he says decisively, understatedly, grinning at them all.</p><p>They all lean over the table to clink glasses. "Skål, baby", he presses a sweet, sleepy kiss to Eloise's temple.</p><p>All signs point to this being the time of his life.</p><p>His first album is ready to go; his first video is in the can; his first single is set for release in just three days time. </p><p>He's so ready.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Part C</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>7th April 2017</p><p>"Shit, I am so not ready for this", Harry throws himself back on the bed, crowding Eloise and whining pitifully into her neck. "I actually feel a bit sick".</p><p>"Oh, you big drama queen!", she laughs, hooking her arms over his shoulders, fingers digging soothingly into the tense muscles of his neck. "You're just going to hang out with Grimmy! He'll look after you... And you know he already loves the single".</p><p>"I'm more worried about what his millions of listeners will think".</p><p>Gripping the nape of his neck gently, she pulls back for a better look at him, "Everyone else will love it too, trust me".</p><p>She reaches up to peck his lips, before whispering against them, "Just for the record, your face is too fucking pretty for the radio, baby".</p><p>He sniggers and puckers his lips back to hers.</p><p>His phone ringing and vibrating in the front pocket of his checked trousers has them both startling apart in laughter. It's close proximity to the apex of her thighs has hers tapering into a groan.</p><p>"Fuck it, okay I need to go...", he ignores the call but pulls himself on to his hands and knees above her, still pecking kisses as he begrudgingly starts to pull away.</p><p>"Thanks for the pep talk, baby. Wish you could come", he pouts.</p><p>"Wish I could too, but I can't miss these meetings. I'm sorry".</p><p>"No worries. I'll give you a call when I'm done, okay? You'll be at the fitting from lunchtime, right?". She nods.</p><p>He casts a final lingering look over her. Bare shoulders and chest peeking out from the white duvet cover; fingers of her bent arm toying teasingly with the blonde hair pooled in a halo across her pillow.</p><p>His angel. His temptress.</p><p>She slaps his bum as he swings a leg to climb off the bed and throws him a shit eating grin.</p><p>Would Grimmy kill him if he just called in for the interview instead? Abso-fucking-lutely.</p><p>"Be brilliant, baby...", he hears her call out as he heads down the hallway to the stairs, "Give him some grief for me!".</p><p>He can hear the smile in her voice and barks a laugh, loving that she keeps him on his toes.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>With only the one song to play - long as it is - there had been a lot of silly chat between Harry and Nick Grimshaw already, and he mentioned he'd prepared some bits to help pad the content for the show.</p><p>If it wasn't for the microphones and all the studio paraphernalia, with their easy rapport and close friendship, it would be worryingly easy to forget they're broadcasting live to millions.</p><p>They had already covered the questions for him kindly submitted by Chris Martin, Ronnie Wood, Rita, Ed and then his mum.</p><p>"She was putting on a bit of a posh accent there", Harry sasses, before softening his voice to imitate her. "'Umm, excuse me, umm, what do you think has inspired your eclectic taste in music?'... Err, you don't talk like that!".</p><p>They fall about laughing, parodying her real accent.</p><p>"I don't even remember what the question was. I was too distracted", Harry chuckles, totally having lost his train of thought.</p><p>Nick takes no prisoners and pounces on the opportunity to rib him a bit. He barks a laugh, "Ha! I'm not surprised... All posh, she sounded a bit like your girlfr-".</p><p>"-Aaaarrggh!", Harry cuts him off with a shout, mouth agape and hands waving in rebuttal before he remembers the cameras on them, filming this for the BBC Radio 1 YouTube channel.</p><p>"-Girl who's a friend?!", Nick trails off weakly, voice raising as a shit-eating grin takes over his face.</p><p>"Stop it!", Harry barks with a laugh, shaking his head whilst his eyes shoot daggers. He'll kill him for that later.</p><p>"Alright, alright, enough of that. Sorry, Harry's mum but we can't even remember your question... Now, Harold, as tempting as it is just to play your amazing new single, Sign of the Times, on repeat until you leave us, I know your patient fans will be desperate for as much new Hontent as possible, so I've got an idea...".</p><p>"Hontent? You what?!".</p><p>"Harry-content... Jeez, keep up, Styles!".</p><p>"Oh God, I'm nervous-".</p><p>"Why?".</p><p>"Because all your ideas and games are literally designed to stitch me up!", he says wryly.</p><p>"Yeah, okay fair enough! But you'll just have to trust me... And you know this game anyway, I'm bringing it back; Call or Delete, ladies and gentlemen!".</p><p>Harry groans dramatically, banging his head against the desk, recalling the fall out from the last time they played this live on air, when Nick called Lou Teasdale's sister with a pretend confession, professing his love for Harry.</p><p>The fans had a collective meltdown over it and management had been furious with him.</p><p>He eyes Jeff warily and shoots him a grimace through the glass window of the studio sound booth. He absolutely does not trust the naughty glint in Nick's eyes.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Their first round fails.</p><p>When Harry scrolls through the contacts on his work and personal phones at the same time, Nick yells "Stop" and decides Michal would be the juicer option. As it rings, Nick feeds him some yarn for Harry to pull some protective brother crap over his relationship with Gemma.</p><p>When it rings through to voicemail, Harry breathes a sigh of relief, but blusters for the benefit of the listeners. "Maybe he's scared of me already? You know, a bit intimidated?".</p><p>Nick scoffs a laugh. "Or maybe he's listening, or your sister tipped him off in time?", he sasses.</p><p>It's Nick's turn. When Harry calls "Stop", he stops scrolling and shoots him a devilish grin.</p><p>Harry pales. He couldn't. He wouldn't.</p><p>"Oooh, a mutual friend of ours!", Nick grins into his mic. "Let's call her... 'Belle!'", he winks.</p><p>"FUCK!" Harry mouths, shooting another look to Jeff and shaking his head.</p><p>Nick turns his, nodding and grinning as he looks between the two of them.</p><p>"Oh, umm, 'Belle?'...", Harry flusters, "I didn't know you even had her number?". He genuinely didn't.</p><p>"Yeah, remember that night I was winding her up in the supermarket?".</p><p>"Oh, right... Well, I'm not sure it's a good idea? She can swear like a sailor", Harry tries to warn him off.</p><p>"She'll be fine! We can get the bleepers ready, just in case", Nick nods his head again.</p><p>"Wait! Erm, isn't she in LA at the moment? It's late there. Let's just go again...", Harry fibs, shooting him a pleading look.</p><p>"Let's not! Come on, Harold, live a little...", Nick gestures with a smile, before mouthing sassily,"You pussy!".</p><p>"You dick!", Harry mouthes back, before audibly groaning in defeat as the dial tone floods the studio. He can feel himself start sweating more and more with each ring.</p><p>Knowing her phone goes to voicemail after nine rings, he gets hopeful after the sixth. Please ring out, please ring out, he prays silently.</p><p>His wide, unblinking eyes, locked on Nick's, widen comically when it stops ringing. He holds his breath for a beat of silence.</p><p>"Nikolaiiiii?", she trills in a thick Russian accent.</p><p>"Err, hello?", Nick blurts in a confused laugh.</p><p>"Hello?", she parrots back, but in her normal voice.</p><p>Harry genuinely thinks he might throw up. He can feel his pulse hammering in his neck.</p><p>"Oh, hi babes, it is you!".</p><p>"How you doin' Grim?", she does a Joey.</p><p>Harry has to slap his hand over his mouth to conceal his smile and resist the urge to laugh. She says that to him almost every time he steps out the shower.</p><p>"Well, you're full of beans this morning!", Nick laughs. "How are you, love?".</p><p>"I'm good! At work, but in a silly mood, sorry! What's up?", she chuckles softly.</p><p>"Oh, have you got a minute? I was hoping you could give me some advice actually... I, umm, I've had something on my mind, and haven't been sure who to talk to...".</p><p>"Oh, okay. Umm, yeah, sure... Well, I can try", she says more softly. "Shoot".</p><p>"Okay, sooo...", Nick casts a pointed look at Harry as he clears his throat. "Erm, well what are your thoughts on threesomes?".</p><p>There's a partially audible squeak from Harry. He's going to fucking murder him.</p><p>Eloise is taken aback, but decides to humour Grimmy. Frankly, she's had weirder chats with him already, usually straight out of left field.</p><p>"What was that? I'm working and it's noisy, but it sounded like you just asked me about threesomes?! I've not had enough coffee, let alone enough tequila for this, Nick...". She gasps, "You're not doing the radio drunk again, are you? You have to stop that!".</p><p>His shocked mock outrage just about conceals Harry's snort of laughter.</p><p>"Sorry to spring it on you a bit, but it's just really been playing at the back of my mind since that game of Truth or Dare, you know?".</p><p>"Well, if you've got questions, why don't you ask one of the guys who said they've actually had one?", she asks plainly.</p><p>Shit this is getting so dangerous. Harry genuinely fears he might shit his pants.</p><p>There's a beep on the line and a muffle before Eloise says hurriedly, "Oh hang on, one second; call waiting".</p><p>Nick hastily mutes her and shouts at a producer to wrestle Harry's phones off him. "No! He's going to warn her! Stop him!". There are comical muffles and grunts as they pounce on Harry.</p><p>Nick takes her off mute and talks loudly over the kerfuffle. "Sorry about that. Um, well, it's just that I've been considering my options - you know, two guys, a guy and girl, maybe even two girls?! What would you say?".</p><p>Harry can't help but eye the wires to Nick's mic. Surely one hard yank could put him out this misery?</p><p>"Oh, wow, okay... And you really need to talk about this, right now? Let me just find a quieter corner".</p><p>"Where are you?".</p><p>"At a fitting. You wouldn't believe what I'm wearing right now", she chuckles.</p><p>"Oh don't tease me!", he flirts before cutting to the chase. "So what would you say?".</p><p>"To what?".</p><p>"A threesome? Keep up", he sasses.</p><p>Harry's pretty sure he's hyperventilating. He can feel the vein in his temple throbbing.</p><p>"You mean, like, theoretically? Like I said at that party, I'm not very good at sharing, so... But why are you asking me anyway?".</p><p>"Well, you are a very beautiful girl-".</p><p>"Ohh, woah! Umm, you, err, you mean me?! Being in one? With you?", she splutters, shocked.</p><p>After an awkward silence, Nick pipes up, a little softer. "What do you say? Have I made this weird? I thought you'd be chill...".</p><p>"About you asking me to be in a threesome with you?", she chuckles awkwardly. "But with who else?".</p><p>There's a loaded silence. "Well...", Nick lets it hang.</p><p>Harry grimaces.</p><p>"Ohhh! Do you mean you and me and-?".</p><p>Nick cuts her off, just in time. "Well, yeah... I think it could be kinda hot?".</p><p>There's another beat of silence before he cuts back in. "Oh God, what are you thinking? I've made this weird, haven't I? Talk to me...".</p><p>"You make everything weird, Grim! I don't know, this is a bit much. I'm at work and I've only had one coffee, you've kind of taken me by surprise with this... Give a girl a chance to think!", she muses. "Do you really need an answer, like, right now?".</p><p>Harry and Nick raise their eyebrows at each other, tilting their heads comically as they try not to laugh.</p><p>"Okay, well maybe just tell me if it's in the realm of possibility, like, at all? Let me know if I can keep dreaming or not...", Nick pleads. "I mean I know we're not in the same league-".</p><p>"No, don't say that! I didn't say no, but this wouldn't just be my decision... If you need an answer now, let me just try to patch him into the call...", she suggests. "Ha ha, a three-way call!", she adds with a snort of laughter.</p><p>They can't help but laugh at that in the studio.</p><p>"No, no! Don't do that", Nick jumps in quickly.</p><p>"Why?", she says after another pause.</p><p>"Well, I'm a bit worried he'll kick my arse for even thinking it. I'll need to be drunk for that chat, so I just needed to gauge if you'd be keen, to know whether to bring it up with him... And it sounds like a maybe, right?".</p><p>"Nick, I needed to be drunk for this chat!", she sasses, making them laugh. "He'll be chill. Let me try and call, hang on".</p><p>There's a recurring beep as she puts him on hold.</p><p>They panic a bit, hushing quickly as she comes back on the line.</p><p>"Hello? Is that still you, Nick?".</p><p>"Is it ringing? Or is it just us still? This isn't a great three-way so far!", he jests.</p><p>"No, it's just us...", she says flatly before bursting into laughter. "Oh as if I was going to, Grimmy! You, calling me out the blue, early whilst you should be on the radio, jumping straight into talk of threesomes without any pleasantries? Come on! Do you think I was born yesterday? I was on to you from the beginning... That was so lame!".</p><p>"No way, I had you!", he protests, laughing weakly.</p><p>"You'll never have me! And it's called 'acting', babes...".</p><p>There's a familiar snort of laughter at her sass, "Ha ha ha HA!".</p><p>"Oh, my God! Was that Harry? Are you in on this too?", she gasps. "Am I live on the radio? Oh God, did I swear? I hate you both!".</p><p>"I didn't doubt you for a second!", Harry admits sheepishly. "She's too clever! I was totally chill, knew it would be fine", he blusters, swiping sweat from his brow and rubbing his palms on his checked trousers.</p><p>"Oh, this is not fine, Styles", she deadpans. "You're a dead man! Gotta go, but bloody love the single though...".</p><p>Harry laughs, "Thank you. Chat later".</p><p>"Nope! Never again".</p><p>"Wait!", Nick chirps up. "So what do you have on...?".</p><p>"Well, now you'll never know!", she sasses with a final laugh before hanging up.</p><p>Harry sucks in a ragged breath as Nick hoots with laughter. "Who do we think she was going to call, I wonder...?", he plays dumb. "She's a good sport. We love her lots, don't we, Harold?".</p><p>They fall about laughing. Harry finally gives into temptation and leans over the desk to thump him on the arm. The absolute fucker.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Eloise had been in a state of nervous excitement for him since he left the house before 7am, and had then been listening intently ever since he'd been live on air with Grimmy. She'd sung proudly along during the premiere of the single and then chuckled at their easy banter back and forth.</p><p>She couldn't wipe the grin from her face and had been mercilessly ribbed by her Killing Eve team all morning - Phoebe, her co-writer; another Harry, their director; Sally, the exec producer; and Charlotte and another Phoebe from the costume and wardrobe department.</p><p>In the midst of the initial Villanelle wardrobe fitting, she'd been forcing them to all listen along with her.</p><p>Her ears had first pricked up at the mention of Hontent. She'd been on guard and had a funny feeling as soon as Nick told Harry to pull up his contacts for Call or Delete.</p><p>She'd been desperately hushing them whilst deciding whether to accept his call or not, then frantically muting her line to crease into laughter and try to conceal theirs throughout the call.</p><p>They burst into laughter as soon as she hangs up, hollering and cheering for her performance. "Shit, I'm going to fucking kill them!", she chuckles good naturally. "Did I swear at all?", she panics.</p><p>That was so risky! She can't believe any of them had the balls to attempt it, let alone pull it off without letting anything slip.</p><p>Talk about Hontent. The fans will have a field day, pouring over it all.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>After lunch and another few live radio interviews - all distinctly less raucous than Grimmy's - Harry and Jeff arrive to the Killing Eve production office in Shoreditch later that afternoon.</p><p>With a rap of knuckles to the open door, they survey the chaos before them.</p><p>Lines of hanging rails run the length of the long room, laden with a myriad of outfits in different styles and colours. From heaps of pink netting and black gothic lace, to silk robes, fur coats, and nurses outfits, just to name a few; the sheer variety is mind-boggling.</p><p>Two women confer and scribble notes at the head of the long boardroom table, strewn with piles of garments and scattered with Polaroid photos.</p><p>Phoebe, another woman and a man slouch sprawled across sofas, chatting and laughing as they watch Eloise.</p><p>Twirling around from behind the screen in the corner of the room, she emerges with a broad smile across her face as she bats at the voluminous skirt.</p><p>She's in a bubblegum pink Bavarian dirndl dress. It hits at mid-thigh with the white short-sleeved shirt underneath the corseted top only loosely tied, showing off her cleavage.</p><p>"Why do I love this so much? It's ridiculous!", she laughs. "Oh, my God, it's like a tutu!", she realises.</p><p>The feel of the netting against her bare thighs stirs something deep inside, and, on impulse, she can't help but break into the footwork of the Pas de Quatre from Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake.</p><p>She legitimately hasn't busted out any ballet moves in years, but this choreography has been etched permanently into her brain since her first feature as a little swan back before her tenth birthday.</p><p>Barefoot, she saves her toes and sticks to the balls of her feet, but the muscles of her toned legs pop and flex in quick and precise movements.</p><p>Having awoken in a joyous and silly mood, feeling light after her banter with Nick and Harry, and now relaxed in the presence of her Killing Eve crew, she doesn't question it, just laps up the shocked cheers and applause from her friendly little audience.</p><p>Laughing, she quickly tightens the strings of the white undershirt before she flashes anyone - and just in time too, as she looks up and spots Harry and Jeff staring agape from the door.</p><p>She steps, jumps and pirouettes closer to them, dancing all the while, before ending up in front of Harry, laughing and slightly out of breath before stilling, lifting her hands to his jaw and smacking a kiss to his lips.</p><p>"God, you look incredible", he bites out against her lips, staring down at her chest as he pulls her closer.</p><p>She cranes her neck back. "Ooh, maybe I should save it for that threesome, then?", she sasses.</p><p>Dropping her hands to his neck, she playfully pretends to throttle him, as payback for their prank earlier.</p><p>"I'm so sorry; I had no idea! I smacked him silly afterwards, but you handled it perfectly, baby", he leans in to kiss her.</p><p>"Wait, don't distract me, what the fuck was that?", he gestures to her legs and feet. "You've been holding out on me! Just how bendy are you?!".</p><p>Phoebe calls out, interrupting them. "Errr, why didn't you write any of that into the script, El?".</p><p>Eloise turns sassily. "Well I didn't write her for me, did I? You all bullied me into this! Besides, I don't dance anymore", she scoffs.</p><p>"That...", Harry the director sasses back, gesturing to her feet, which she's flexing back and forth, out of habit, "Suggests otherwise".</p><p>After Eloise's hurried introductions, Jeff, leaning against the table by the door, pipes up, holding a pink flocked pig mask. "What the hell is this?", he asks, looking totally bemused.</p><p>"Oh, there it is!", Charlotte, the lead stylist laughs, snagging the Polaroid camera off the table before strutting over. She grabs Eloise's hand and tugs her to the clean white wall at the back of the room to take a final photo.</p><p>"Jeez, there's a lot to do...", Charlotte groans, surveying the array of photos spread across the desk and the garments and reams of fabric around the room.</p><p>"It'll be fun!", director Harry suggests optimistically.</p><p>"You're not the one sorting all the alterations", she sighs back.</p><p>She picks up a piece of paper and spins on her heel to eye Eloise appraisingly again. "Can we check these measurements again, just for my sanity? They can't be right".</p><p>"They are, I'm telling you!", she protests.</p><p>"Humour me... We'll have to get the amends spot on first time to stay on track and be ready for August".</p><p>Eloise starts unlacing the front of the dress. Her Harry grins as Charlotte nods her head to Jeff, wide eyed, "Erm...".</p><p>"Oh, he's seen it all before".</p><p>"Fucking hell! Threesomes? Stripping? Who is this minx and what have you done with that sweet girl?", Phoebe snorts a laugh.</p><p>Left standing in a nude bodysuit after defiantly pulling the dress over her head, Eloise shakes her head. "I just meant...", she reaches to throw it over Phoebe's head from behind, "That this covers more than a bikini anyway".</p><p>As they measure her again, standing tall, lean and toned and so much healthier looking than she had been in the Autumn already, her Harry is taken aback again.</p><p>He's seen a lot of her in relaxed-silly mode (it's right up there as his favourite, alongside playful-sexy and cuddly-sweet), but he's never seen her moved to spontaneous happiness-fuelled leaps and pirouettes and sassily stripping off in front of a small audience... Hmm, definite progress. There's an aura of quiet, contented confidence around her. She's practically glowing with it.</p><p>"Fucking hell, so you are just a total freak then? 34-25-36; 44 inches from toe to hip; long arms, long neck, cracking tits... That waist to hip ratio on a short torso is going to be tricky to tailor", Charlotte mutters with a sigh, slinging the tape measure around her neck. "What did you model?".</p><p>"Mostly beauty stuff and anything avoiding off the peg sample sizes", Eloise concedes. "Anyway, you done bashing my ego, or what?", she sasses with an arched eyebrow, hand on hip.</p><p>"It shouldn't work, but it really does".</p><p>"Oh it definitely does!", Harry smirks, stepping up to nudge Eloise gently back towards the screen to change.</p><p>"You done?", he parrots, eager to take her on the date he'd promised.</p><p>They'd had dinner with his team last night, and he's looking forward to having some quality time alone with her, before the madness continues. The distraction to avoid eyeing the single sales all night will be an added bonus too.</p><p>He has a couple more days of promotion here and in Paris before they head to New York and then on to LA for the intense US-leg of the promo circuit prior to the album launch next month.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Part D</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>8th - 14th April 2017</p><p>The Air Miles soon started racking up.</p><p>They headed to New York early the next week, with Jeff, Harry Lambert, Adam, Sarah and Clare in tow. Tom, Mitch and Molly flew in from LA to meet them there.</p><p>Whilst Harry juggled promo interviews with band rehearsals and then Saturday Night Live prep, Eloise burnt the candle at both ends.</p><p>Awake in the early hours to join Killing Eve pre-production meetings in London via Skype; she worked on script amends during the afternoon whilst listening in to his interviews and rehearsals; then went out with them at night, soaking up the atmosphere and excitement.</p><p>Quite apt for the city that never sleeps, she supposed.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>The elaborately planned promo tour is definitely working. His fans were in a frenzy all over social media ever since the S.N.L. announcement, desperate to hear his first solo performance.</p><p>Their excitement boiled over again when he unveiled the album cover, release date and track list via Instagram.</p><p>They were immediately preoccupied with trying to infer meaning from the track titles. Some of the Kiwi theories had been wildly entertaining; the crass speculation about Victoria's Secret Angels and Taylor and Larry less so.</p><p>When she sees photos of Harry doctored to stand alongside Kendall or Taylor or even Louis, she can't help but do a double take. It's definitely her; that's her dress and they'd had plenty of run-ins with paps yesterday, but even she has to look closely to tell. It's evident they have mad Photoshop skills and too much time on their hands. If nothing else, it serves as a timely reminder, not to take photos of him at face value.</p><p>But, to be fair, even Harry can't seem to recall why it's called Kiwi, so, who knows, some of them might not be too far off?</p><p>&gt;</p><p>They first arrived at the famed Studio 8H at 30 Rockefeller Plaza on Thursday morning. Having appeared three times with the band already, Harry knows the drill and many of the team already.</p><p>The writer in Eloise had been fascinated to see the famed S.N.L. processes in action. She'd been conscious to keep out of the way and watch from a distance, but she'd been doing so like a hawk, taking it all in.</p><p>It's revered as a training ground and rite of passage for some of the most talented writers in the business, but it's brutal. Not least the eye-watering schedule.</p><p>They pitch a high volume of initial sketch ideas on Monday morning, for the host and team to then whittle them down, to refine the most promising. By Thursday the final contenders are rehearsed, whilst sets are built and costumes made. Full rehearsals then continue all day Friday and Saturday, right up until the final rehearsal at 8pm, to see which will pass muster with the live studio audience. They make their final decisions and go again for the live broadcast at 11.30pm, wrapping at 1am.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>This week's show marks both the first coast-to-coast live broadcast simultaneously across North America, and Jimmy Fallon's return to his Saturday Night Live roots.</p><p>He knows the ropes and pops his head in to check in frequently from his dressing room next door.</p><p>They film a few silly promo videos for television ads and social channels.</p><p>Harry will featured in a couple of skits with Jimmy and perform Sign of the Times and Ever Since New York, live for the first time as a solo artist.</p><p>His accent and singing in the Union Civil War soldiers sketch isn't too taxing, but he blows them away with his finely honed Mick Jagger impersonation for the Celebrity Family Feud sketch.</p><p>It leaves Jimmy in stitches every time; wheezing with laughter as he breaks character. So much so, the crew jokingly offer him a job.</p><p>Harry will also pop up in the big dance-led opening number too; joining Jimmy slinkily dancing down a hallway backstage, singing along to Bowie's Let's Dance.</p><p>&gt;<br/>&gt;</p><p>15th April 2017</p><p>The long final day of prep on Saturday proves full on, with a frenetic energy around the studio and backstage.</p><p>Eloise can't help but fangirl a little. Kate McKinnon is a comedy genius, and one of her favourites, Melissa McCarthy, returns to impersonate Sean Spicer.</p><p>The band are nervous but excited for their first live performance. On such an iconic show and with such a huge audience, it's quite the booking.</p><p>Their final soundcheck goes swimmingly. And it's not as disconcerting as you might expect, to see Harry do it dressed as Mick Jagger.</p><p>In fact, all his rehearsals run smoothly, and ultimately, everything goes down well with the studio audience during the final rehearsal. They're good to go.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Having been holed up inside the studio all day it seems impossible to believe it's nearing 11.30pm.</p><p>They're all pumped with nervous excitement ahead of the live broadcast.</p><p>With a final kiss good luck, Eloise leaves Harry to it, and heads to the studio with Jeff, taking their seats at the front as the lights dim.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>If his fake beard comically peeling off diverted attention during the Civil War soldier skit, Harry's Mick Jagger impression almost certainly steals the show.</p><p>He certainly trumps Jimmy's duelling John Travolta's. Totally committed to his impression of the Rolling Stones frontman, he throws himself into the spirit of it, more than willing to make a fool of himself.</p><p>Everything is spot on, from his shaggy shoulder length hair and accent, to his exaggerated expressions and gestures. The writer's stroke of genius with his line about going solo from a successful band is a brilliant touch too.</p><p>Eloise has heard snatches of it before and seen him do the finger pointing move on Niall in tonnes of shows on tour, but even she is wildly impressed.</p><p>How he doesn't break character, she can't fathom. Just watching the constant gurning faces he pulls whilst the camera's on Jimmy or Kenan alongside him, has her in stitches.</p><p>She can see his eyes twinkling as he basks in the rapturous applause from the audience. And rightly so.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>With both performances also received brilliantly, they wrap the live show and cut the broadcast at 1am.</p><p>The cast and producers fawn over Harry, telling him they'd love to have him back again soon, for double duty as host and performer next time. It's crazy to think he's only a month into his career as a solo artist.</p><p>After Jimmy's toast to cheers the crew, they all head straight out for the after parties.</p><p>Harry's gang feel daunted enough knowing they're straight back on to their promo circuit; so how the S.N.L. crew have the stamina to work at this rate week after week, with a new host each time, she's not sure, but it's genuinely impressive.</p><p>Actually, Eloise hazards a guess that there's a lot more than just adrenaline flowing to keep everyone else up and at it after their epic six days and long nights of frantic prep.</p><p>She and Harry manage to party through, fuelled only by champagne and the eager anticipation of that heavenly Super King bed in Harry's TriBeCa loft, then a first class flat bed when they fly home tomorrow night.</p><p>Rock 'n' roll, but with a slightly softer edge.</p><p>&gt;<br/>&gt;</p><p>Mid April - early May 2017</p><p>A few days later, Harry's Rolling Stone magazine cover hits newsstands and lends further credibility and gravitas to the promo campaign</p><p>They're back in London to film his interview and performance on The Graham Norton Show, then head to Paris for more of the same on Quotidien.</p><p>The crazy schedule and traveling are punishing, but it's all certainly paying off.</p><p>There's so much buzz around him, that when tickets go on sale a week after announcing the tour, all twenty nine shows scheduled for later in the year sell out in mere seconds.</p><p>Harry's second single, Sweet Creature goes up against Niall's first release, Slow Hands. It's amazing to hear the boys getting so much radio airplay between the two of them.</p><p>&gt;<br/>&gt;</p><p>10th May 2017</p><p>Eloise sat out their return one night trip back to New York for the Today Show's Summer Concert Series at the Rockefeller Plaza.</p><p>She'd been refreshing their YouTube channel during her lunch break between meetings in London, eager to see him smash Sign of the Times, Ever Since New York, Carolina and even a reworked version of Stockholm Syndrome.</p><p>She knows how nervous Harry really gets, but he manages to make it look so effortless, oozing charm as he commands the stage like the bonafide rockstar he's fast proving himself to be.</p><p>The band sound incredible too. It's amazing to think they've only been together a few months, with just a few performances under their belts so far. </p><p>She's totally obsessed with his pink suit by Edward Sexton and has every intention of trying to sneak it into her side of the wardrobe when he gets home.</p><p>He looks incredible. It's not even been two days yet and she's already missing him terribly.</p><p>&gt;<br/>&gt;</p><p>11th May 2017</p><p>When he arrives home without a garment bag, Eloise is disappointed to hear Molly had taken it back to LA for him.</p><p>He's a little quiet and in his head all afternoon, but she wheedles it out of him.</p><p>It's only natural to feel jittery at the prospect of finally sharing his baby with the world - comprised as it is of his blood, sweat and tears, and revealing his innermost thoughts and feelings.</p><p>It's been so closely guarded between their tight-knit team and they've had to put so much effort into keeping it under wraps to avoid any leaks, that to suddenly be on the eve of pushing the button to send it out into the world feels bizarre.</p><p>After a little pep-talk, she sends him off for a run, to listen to it alone one final time, whilst it's still just his.</p><p>He ends up sitting at the top of Primrose Hill, looking over London in the rain.</p><p>Who's like a twelve year old re-enacting a music video now? What a drama queen!</p><p>&gt;</p><p>When he returns back home, soggier but more composed, he's delighted to find that she has whipped up one of his favourite meals.</p><p>As he swoops wordlessly straight in for a kiss, the flour smeared on her cheek mixes with the rainwater dripping down his from his hair.</p><p>When they skid on the water pooling off him around their feet, she shoos him upstairs for a shower to warm up, so she can mop up whilst it finishes cooking.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>From the dining table, they snuggle up on the sheepskin rug in front of the fireplace in the gloomy light of the living room.</p><p>With rain pelting the windows, they play footsie as they tuck into her plum and cinnamon crumble, fresh from the oven and quickly melting the scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.</p><p>It's heavenly. His only angel, indeed.</p><p>When Harry swipes a smudge of ice cream from the corner of her lip with his tongue, it devolves into a full on, handsy make out session, rolling around on the plush rug.</p><p>Cuddling, kissing, touching, whispering; it's playful and soothing and exactly what he needs to set his mind at ease.</p><p>As the flickering light wanes, with the fire reduced to glowing embers in the grate, Harry hauls her into his arms and carries her upstairs, intent on thanking her properly for a perfect evening; for somehow always being just what he needs.</p><p>&gt;<br/>&gt;</p><p>12th May 2017</p><p>Eloise wakes to Harry's throaty yawn as he stretches whilst reaching over to silence his alarm, beeping lowly.</p><p>Folding back around her, he presses a kiss to the nape of her neck, whispering "Sorry" as he feels her start to stir. It's just 5am.</p><p>Tightening his arm over her waist, he pulls her back into his frame, indulging in waking up slowly before his snoozed alarm sounds again.</p><p>Running her fingers over his forearm she lolls her head back on the pillow to look at him.</p><p>Powerless to resist, she flips neatly on to her other side, raking her fingers up his other arm and into his dishevelled hair.</p><p>He peaks an eye open at the contact; rich mossy green in the pale dawn light.</p><p>"Today's the day, baby!", she grins softly, reaching up to kiss his smiling, pouty lips.</p><p>He pulls back and buries his head in her neck as his alarm sounds again, letting out another rumbling low yawn that tapers into a groan.</p><p>Sleepy, snoozy Harry - all languid like a big cat - is one of her very favourite sides to him.</p><p>Running a hand up the taut muscles of his twisted back, she tickles his ribs gently. "You should get up... Grimmy will give you shit if you're late, and Lou needs time to fix this mane". She tugs it gently, dropping to smack his bum as he pulls himself up to all fours to steal a final kiss before slinking off to the shower.</p><p>She waits until she hears the water before sneaking out of bed and stealthily following him.</p><p>He startles and yelps when she wraps her arms low around his torso from behind.</p><p>"Jesus! As much as I'm always up for company in here, babe...", he says lowly, reaching around to cop a feel of her bum. "You should go back to sleep. It's crazy early".</p><p>"Oh, you don't want your present then?", she whispers sultrily.</p><p>He groans lowly again. "Shit, always... But I'm not sure there's time? Car's due in fifteen".</p><p>"Yeah, I know... I'll be in it", she sniggers.</p><p>"No way! You can make it?", he spins in her arms, tipping his head back under the stream of water, looking down at her through wet lashes.</p><p>"I wouldn't miss it!", she grins, having rearranged a meeting to be able to join him this morning. "Besides, I reckon I'm less likely to end up the butt of Grimmy's jokes if I'm looking him in the eye", she muses.</p><p>He snorts and reaches for the shampoo. "You keep telling yourself that... It's never worked for me!".</p><p>Hmm, they'll see. She's pretty confident her best resting bitch face should be able to intimidate him, at least a little bit.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>After a whirlwind five weeks of promotion, encompassing TV, radio and press interviews and photoshoots in London, Paris, New York and LA, Harry's back on Nick's BBC Radio 1 Breakfast Show where it all started; fittingly taking it full circle for today's album launch day.</p><p>Lapping up the quiet of the car, Eloise rakes her fingers soothingly over his checked kneecap. As the driver pulls up at Langham Place, she leans over to drop a kiss to his lips before dashing out to the main entrance.</p><p>She smiles hearing the screams as soon as the Mercedes pulls around the corner to the side entrance at Langham Street.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Leaning against the wall in the lobby, Eloise waits out of sight with Jeff, eyeing the flashbulbs outside. Lou and Harry Lambert join them too, completing his little entourage for today.</p><p>After saying hello to the receptionists, chatting with a producer from the show and flanked by his bodyguard, Harry approaches, smoothly gathering her hand to hold tightly as they're whisked straight upstairs.</p><p>He chats with the team and introduces her as they wait for Nick to play a song to step out the studio.</p><p>"What the fuck is that?! My nan's curtains? You tosser!", he hollers, doubled over in laughter.</p><p>Harry sasses straight back, "It's Vivienne Westwood, you uncultured swine!".</p><p>"Nick! Can you try not to insult our guest please?", his producer chastises.</p><p>Jeff shakes his head ruefully as Eloise snorts at their back and forth. Truth be told, it is a tad tablecloth like in the red and white print, but if anyone can pull it off, it's him.  And his bum looks ace in the trousers too, she checked. He looks incredible today; it's like he's glowing with excitement.</p><p>Nick pretends to run in the opposite direction when he spots her narrowed, withering stare. He mans up and starts grovelling, but only promises that he won't mention anything about threesomes today.</p><p>That leaves literally just about anything else up for grabs. Well, shit.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Settling in to a sofa at the back of the studio alongside Jeff, Eloise has a clear view as Harry settles down on the desk opposite Nick's.</p><p>When the producers take their seats they block some of her view, but, shuffling over to have a clear line of sight to Harry, she can still see Nick too if she leans over a bit to her right.</p><p>Nick's full of beans; she'll absolutely need to keep a close eye on him.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>They start chatting.</p><p>Nick ribs Harry on his suit again. "Did you make it out of tea towels?".</p><p>On who Carolina is about. They both crane their necks to Eloise on the sofa, narrowing her eyes at Nick threateningly. Harry's cagey and literally squirming in his seat already.</p><p>On the presumption that Two Ghosts is about Taylor. They both twist and look at Eloise again. "Don't look through there! You're going to be asked about it. I'm doing you a favour...". </p><p>"Weird favour!", Harry sasses back, shooting him evils, and desperately trying to pedal him a nonresponse before turning back and whining, "Help me, Jeffrey!".</p><p>Nick ignores it all and steamrollers ahead to cue up the song. "Here we go, the one about Taylor Swift!".</p><p>"Aaaaarghh, NO!", Harry shouts, spinning on his chair and flailing his arms in panicky laughter before pretending to bash his head on the desk.</p><p>Nick calls him out on the duck noises in Woman. Eloise will never be able to un-hear that.</p><p>Next up is his love for The Notebook and mindless rom coms.</p><p>Also, his failed, sink-holed stage dive recently.</p><p>And, finally, on the terrifying silicone mask of his face for the stuntman in the music video.</p><p>Harry spends almost the entire interview turning to look at Eloise, grinning - both happily and awkwardly, interchangeably.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Nick ups the ante with a silly game before Harry has to leave for a more serious interview on BBC Radio 2.</p><p>They hook him up to a heart rate monitor then Nick shows him a series of photos, intent on gauging his reactions.</p><p>First, Sir Christoper Nolan, the director from Dunkirk. Fine.</p><p>Then the hideous, oversized, purple high top trainers from his X-Factor days.</p><p>Ryan Gosling, shirtless in The Notebook. Admittedly, that one does something to Eloise's heart rate too.</p><p>Zayn, shirtless in a leather jacket. Nick's a dick!</p><p>Chelsea boots. Harry's heart rate starts rising. He does bloody love his boots, to be fair.</p><p>A briefcase full of money. An alarm fault sounds on the machine. Ha ha.</p><p>Harry catches Nick's self-satisfied smirk as he eyes the final photo. Well, shit...</p><p>"And here we have a triple threat! It's actress, writer and model, Eloise Cadogan... How do you feel about her, hmm?", Nick asks with a shit-eating grin.</p><p>Harry spins and looks at her in a blind panic.</p><p>Nick looks delighted with himself.</p><p>With her mouth agape and a pretty pink flush climbing her cheeks, the shock reduces her to just startled, wide blue eyes, flitting rapidly between the two of them.</p><p>Nick's a fucking dick! What a shit-stirrer.</p><p>"I don't... I don't, umm, know... Her?", Harry stutters, voice raising an octave.</p><p>"You don't know her? Huh?".</p><p>"I'm sure she's wonderful... She looks nice... I'm sure she's a wonderful person".</p><p>Harry has no control of his faculties by now. He looks back at her, grimacing.</p><p>"Why are you shaking your head?", Nick probes for the benefit of the listeners.</p><p>"I hate you all, so much", Harry chuckles lowly, accepting defeat.</p><p>"Heart rate's rising! Heart rate's the highest it's ever been! Heart rate's at one hundred!", Nick shouts in excitement, thrilled his game has played out brilliantly.</p><p>Harry, spent, devolves into hysterical, silent laughter.</p><p>"I hate you all, so much!", he bites around his sniggering laughter.</p><p>"You're idiots!", he points at them over Nick's head, at the side of the room where they're falling about laughing. "You two are idiots!".</p><p>"Who?", Nick asks, again to clue in his audience.</p><p>"Lou and Harry", he explains lowly.</p><p>"They're mutual friends. I may have reached out to them for some triggers. And it worked!".</p><p>Harry laughs again, looking at Eloise, he shakes his head ruefully and throws his hands up in dismay.</p><p>"You can take that one home with you...", Nick slides the photo of Eloise coyly over the desk to Harry. "We can laminate it for you!", he adds crassly.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Eloise genuinely isn't sure what's worse, that stunt or the threesome prank call?</p><p>The producers are quick to blame Nick, hoping it will spare them in case Harry's upset; but he and Eloise don't believe for a minute that he found a heart rate monitor himself.</p><p>They take it gracefully enough, with the fun with which it was intended, but do find some solace in ganging up on Nick together for some retribution after the interview.</p><p>Surprisingly, Eloise is the more physically abusive. It turns out the trick move on her brothers' backs works on him too.  And his nipples are evidently very sensitive.</p><p>She practically drags Harry out the door herself, heading straight to the BBC Radio 2 studios, more than eager for some respite from their more mature hosts.</p><p>It's a busy, busy day. And should only get easier.</p><p>&gt;<br/>&gt;</p><p>13th May 2017</p><p>It pays off. And then some.</p><p>When they huddle ahead of his first London concert - a surprise, intimate charity gig at The Garage - Jeff reveals the numbers they've been eagerly anticipating.</p><p>The album debuted at number one in over twenty countries, including the UK, Ireland, Scotland, USA and Australia.</p><p>It hit number one on iTunes in eighty four countries.</p><p>Eloise had an expensive education and has travelled a lot, but isn't confident she could actually even list eighty four countries straight off the bat.</p><p>It's insane, but only everything he deserves.</p><p>The disbelieving, bashful, proud smile on his face at the news is something she'll never forget.</p><p>He and the band literally float out to stage on cloud nine.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>As close to them and all the prep and promo as she has been, Eloise - bang at the front with Gemma and Anne and a bunch of his family and friends - can't believe how great a show they put on.</p><p>She hadn't heard a peep of it beforehand, so isn't sure when they'd rehearsed it, but their reinterpretation of Kanye's Ultralight Beam is inspired and sends chills straight through her. She's not sure she'll ever get it out of her head.</p><p>She fangirls harder than just about anyone.</p><p>How is this man hers? This magnetic, charming, funny and handsome man; and a preternaturally talented songwriter, musician and singer too?</p><p>If the rest of the screaming crowd knew he was even more impressive in private - sweet, kind, silly, goofy, cute, cuddly, kissy, sexy, smart - they'd surely blow the roof off the venue.</p><p>He'll be back in stadiums soon enough, she has no doubt - for safety if nothing else.</p><p>She can't wait to see and hear it.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Part E</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>14th May 2017</p><p>They both sigh in relief when Harry closes the front door behind them. It's been a long day.</p><p>It's nearing 4pm now in LA, and they'd climbed out of bed in Hampstead bright and early at 6am. </p><p>After premiering his Behind the Album documentary to press and selected fans in Notting Hill ahead of its release tomorrow, they'd dashed to Heathrow and only just made their flight.</p><p>With the time difference, that's eighteen hours so far and counting.</p><p>Neither had slept at all on the plane, using the time to catch up on work and a mountain of unread emails and messages.</p><p>Eyeing how wary he looks now, Eloise is getting increasingly worried that she'll be able to uphold her end of the bargain for tonight. She winces, recalling Ben's parting words when she snuck off to the ladies toilet to check in with him before boarding; "Just get him here, we'll do the rest".</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Shooing him off as he goes to start lugging their suitcases upstairs, she tugs at his hand instead to lead him straight up.</p><p>After bodily pushing him down the landing to the bedroom, she tips him backwards on to the bed. Startled, he falls like a tree. She's quick to climb on top.</p><p>"Baby...", he whines, hands automatically palming her bum through the thin material of her leggings. "You can't seriously want sex right now?", he groans. "I don't even know if-".</p><p>"You know I'm always up for a little loving", she smirks, rolling her hips playfully. "But right now, that's just to snuggle... And cuddle... And kiss... And play with your hair... Okay?", she says softly, slowly, as she dots gentle kisses over his smiling face.</p><p>"More than okay, always", he pulls her down for a proper kiss, licking at the seam of her lips playfully, begging entrance.</p><p>"But anything horizontal is dangerous... If we fall asleep now, we'll never sleep tonight".</p><p>"What harm could a little nap do? We'll worry about tonight later... I can think of a few surefire ways to make you sleepy again", she smirks with another roll of her hips.</p><p>Chuckling lowly, he sits up to silence his phone and toss it aside before tugging his jeans and shirt off.</p><p>She mewls in satisfaction as he drapes himself into and half over her, legs intertwining and arms wrapping securely around her. His fingers rake delicately up her back as hers twirl through his hair.</p><p>With their other arms folded up against their chests, their fingers stroke clavicles, necks and jaws as their lips meet languorously.</p><p>It's slow and soft and sweet.</p><p>It works a treat. He nods gently off to sleep after just a few minutes.</p><p>She just has the wherewithal to set an alarm for a couple of hours time, before drifting straight off herself, right behind him.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>After a blissful couple of hours, she quickly silences her alarm and nudges him begrudgingly awake.</p><p>"Baby, time to wake up", she coos. "I had a message from Ben; he wants us to go round for a bite of dinner. What do you think?".</p><p>He yawns and stretches, nuzzling his head into her neck. "I'm seeing him tomorrow morning. All week, in fact... Would rather stay in bed with you, to be honest", he mumbles sleepily.</p><p>"Well he knows that, so must have asked for a reason...", she prompts. "Maybe it's to talk about stuff for the show?".</p><p>He lets out a deep sigh and reaches blindly for his phone, peeking one bleary eye open to check his notifications. "Well why didn't he message me?", he mulls petulantly.</p><p>She grimaces over his head, cording her fingers though his dishevelled hair. "Umm, I don't know... Maybe he didn't want to bully you into it, in case you're too tired?".</p><p>With a groan, he rolls on top of her, pinning her down playfully. "So you're bullying me into it instead?", he sasses, burrowing into her again and placing open-mouthed kisses down the column of her neck, teasingly sucking ever so lightly.</p><p>"Oh, don't say that!", she whines, pushing him away. "Come on. We wouldn't have to stay long and it's not like we have any food here... It'll be nice to catch up with them properly; Lord knows we probably won't get the chance all week", she shrugs with a hopeful smile.</p><p>Unable to argue with that, he drops down again, finding her lips this time.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>After laughing and wrestling for a few minutes, trying to shake him off her, she eventually shrugs him off whilst he's laughing and weakened from her assault tickling his ribs.</p><p>Bounding off the bed, she wastes no time in peeling off her layers, feeling the weight of his lusty, hooded gaze as he flips to lie back against the pillows, pressing a palm down over his boxers.</p><p>Spinning around, she sways her hips as she walks towards the ensuite, before looking coyly over her shoulder to issue an invitation. "Coming?".</p><p>"Absolutely, as will you be", he jumps up, hopping out of his boxers as he hastily follows her into the shower cubicle.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Eyeing his opportunity when she quickly hogged the hairdryer, he snuck back into bed.</p><p>Emerging from the walk-in closet, she rolls her eyes and slaps his bum though the duvet.</p><p>After a dramatic groan, he burrows out from under it and eyes her suspiciously. "Why are you all dressed up?".</p><p>She looks down at her pretty floral wrap playsuit, and the beige ankle boots and bleached denim jacket in her hands. "It's not that dressy, is it? It's still seventy five degrees and sunny out and this half of my wardrobe has been neglected".</p><p>"And it's just the four of us?", he checks, sceptically.</p><p>"I assume so...", she shrugs again, "But there's always a chance James will gatecrash, I guess?", she chuckles, heading for the landing. "Come on, hurry up or we'll never know!".</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Heading downstairs, he's surprised to find her already outside, sitting in the driving seat of the idling Mercedes. He can't help but feel a little suspicious at her keenness. Surely she must feel as weary as he does?</p><p>Sneaking a sip of the iced coffee she'd made him, she eyes his muted Hawaiian shirt, white tank top, beige shorts and Vans appreciatively. Simple, but terribly effective.</p><p>"Roof alright down?", he checks, locking the door and jogging down the steps.</p><p>"Still seventy five and sunny, like I said".</p><p>"What about paps?".</p><p>"We're only going up into the Hills, straight to Ben's and back".</p><p>Fair point; he lets his suspicions melt away. "And you're driving?", he asks as he opens the passenger door.</p><p>"Oh, I'm driving! Hurry up, buckle up; we're late".</p><p>"For a casual dinner?".</p><p>"The sooner we get there, the sooner we can get back and into bed".</p><p>He hops in; can't argue with that.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Before approaching Ben and Mer's road, she executes the final part of her ruse.</p><p>"Oh, shit! Can you do me a favour? I forgot to reply to Liz. Here...", she pulls her phone out the pocket of her denim jacket. "Can you type a reply for me? I'll forget later and don't want her chasing me at the crack of dawn".</p><p>She opens it with her thumbprint to hastily swipe the notifications clear before handing it over.</p><p>Stowing his coffee cup between his muscular thighs, he takes it from her. "Sure thing. Email or WhatsApp?".</p><p>"Oh, err, email...", she says hurriedly. "Hers should be near the top, flagged".</p><p>"Got it. Shoot".</p><p>She starts dictating for him. "Hi Liz. Sorry for the late reply. I thought it over, but it's a 'no' for the Tom Ford campaign. Concept is just a bit too raunchy and, well, naked".</p><p>Harry gapes at her.</p><p>"What? I'm saying no!".</p><p>"Yeah, emphatically...", he grits out and keeps typing without her dictating. She smirks, curious but relieved it's keeping his attention on her phone in his lap.</p><p>Rolling her eyes fondly, she adds, "Ooh, but say it's a maybe for Narcisco... Just to keep her sweet".</p><p>It works like a charm. By the time he's finished typing, she's parking up behind Ben's car.</p><p>Quickly jumping out, she heads straight to the back door, hoping he'll follow closely and avoid clocking all the familiar cars parked on the road.</p><p>Ben opens the door, greeting them exuberantly.</p><p>"Are your neighbours having some rowdy party and didn't invite you? Bit rude!", Harry asks, referencing the noise from over the back gate.</p><p>In front of him, Eloise smirks at Ben as if to say 'Here's here! My job here is done'. After a peck to his cheek, she spins to toss the car key to Harry before skipping up the steps.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Dashing through the kitchen, she rounds the corner to tuck behind the archway through to the living room. She's grinning, waving and mouthing a few silent hello's for a few seconds before there's a shocked gasp as Harry clocks them all from the other side of the kitchen.</p><p>There's a chorus of "SURPRISE!" and cheers.</p><p>"No fucking way!", he shouts. "What is this? Where did you all bloody come from?!".</p><p>As Ben claps him on the shoulders from behind and Mer throws her arms around his waist, he beams as he scans the gathered crowd until he spots Eloise and pulls her into his side.</p><p>"You!", he drops a smiling kiss to her temple. "So wily! So sneaky! Was that a wind up about Tom Ford?".</p><p>"No! That's definitely a 'no', don't worry", she grins. "And don't thank me for any of this. It's all them", she gestures to Ben and Mer. "I was just tasked with getting you here".</p><p>"What's all this even in aid of?", he asks them, genuinely baffled.</p><p>Ben roars with laughter, shaking his head at Harry's modesty. "Oh, I don't know... An amazing debut solo album? That massive single? The documentary premiering tomorrow? A certain residency all week?", he sasses, counting on his fingers.</p><p>Harry blushes at the attention from his gathered close friends - almost everyone in his LA family and trusted inner circle is here. James and Julia; Jeff and Glenne, and Tommy too; Mitch and Sarah, Adam, Clare too; Jeff Bhasker, Ryan, Tyler, Alex; Tom and his wife, Jenny; Molly and her partner; Gabe and other members of the Fulwell production team. Even Niall, and Cal; plus Rande; and Adele, Rosie and Jason too. It's quite the full house.</p><p>After hugs and a toast and a bashful "Thank you all, so much. I couldn't have done any of this without every single one of you" from Harry, Ben announces he'll premiere the Behind the Album film in five minutes, to give everyone enough time to get fresh drinks.</p><p>While a fair number of the guys in the room also feature, Eloise did well to avoid getting in the camera's frame during her time in Jamaica, various studio visits here in LA and at Abbey Road in London; only the back of her head and legs made the final cut.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>The film and album play throughout the party.</p><p>When Harry realises he's lost sight of Eloise, he finally tracks her down in Ben's study, where he's surprised to find her perched on the desk, conferring with Mitch.</p><p>He makes them jump, totally busted, "What ya' doin'?", he smirks, leaning against the doorframe. "Ooh, that's a beauty!", he says of the guitar Mitch strums quietly in his lap.</p><p>"Right?", Mitch grins, playing a few chords. "A vintage Fender Malibu, acoustic in matte black with a white trim. She purrs, man... Your girl has good taste!", he grins gesturing to a bashful Eloise.</p><p>Harry looks from the guitar to her in shock, shaking his head. "What? No way! What for?".</p><p>"It's all yours", she says grasping its neck and passing it to Harry. "Just a little something because I'm proud of you and I thought it looked pretty", she shrugs with a blush colouring her cheeks. "I checked with Mitch that it should sound good too, and it definitely does... Give it a whirl!".</p><p>Harry gazes at it and her with watery eyes, before strumming a few chords with a dimpled grin breaking across his face. He pulls back and looks at it again before pulling her in for a hug with his free hand. "Oh, I love it, and I love you! You didn't have to do this, baby. This must have cost a pretty penny?".</p><p>She pinches his cheeks. "Write me a pretty song on it, and we'll call it even", she quips, kissing him back.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Back in the living room, his new guitar quickly does the rounds, with all the many musicians keen to give it a go.</p><p>When James starts giving Harry shit about the lyrics to Only Angel and Kiwi, trying to get a rise out of Ben, Eloise decides to leave them to it and slips into the kitchen, denying him the attention he's after.</p><p>Whilst chatting with Sarah and Adele by the fridge, she notices Mer stealthily pour a glass of champagne down the sink. Hmm, she has seemed a little quiet and out of sorts.</p><p>Eloise keeps an eye on her whilst waiting for the kitchen to empty out a bit, before sidling over and popping a hip against the marble counter. She leans in to whisper, "I saw that...", nodding at the empty glass. "You alright?", she asks, brow furrowed in concern. Wasting alcohol is very much out of character.</p><p>Casting her eyes around them, Mer seems a little flustered. "Oh, umm, it's nothing...", she stutters. "Well...". She looks over her shoulder again, leaning closer, conspiratorially. "Umm, actually, I suppose we do have some news for you, Aunty Lolly...!".</p><p>She gasps, mouth agape in shock, before squealing excitedly. "NO WAY! Oh, my God, congratulations!". The thought had briefly crossed her mind, but she's totally taken by surprise to hear her actually confirm it.</p><p>"Shh!", Mer grabs her arm and angles her towards the back door. "We haven't told anyone yet. It's still so early, only seven weeks... But I'm definitely pregnant; feeling absolutely shattered and can't keep anything down".</p><p>Eloise wavers between concern at her feeling unwell and sheer excitement at the prospect of a niece or nephew in time for Christmas.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Harry and Ben, chatting just inside the living room, hear her squeals and pop their head into the kitchen to see the girls hugging tightly.</p><p>"Oh, for fuck's sake!", Ben shakes his head with a grin, tugging at Harry's arm as he heads over.</p><p>"Cat's out the bag already then?", he whispers accusingly as he steps towards Mer with a hand splayed on her lower back, "It's only been four days, Mer!".</p><p>"It's been killing me to keep quiet, but she guessed, I promise!", she chuckles at Ben. He'd been sure she would spill the beans before he did. "It's so early though, you two have to swear to keep it quiet".</p><p>The penny drops for Harry. "Holy shit! No way?! Wow, congratulations!", he whispers excitedly, wrapping his arms around them all for a group hug.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>They're interrupted by James and Julia, eyeing their happy huddle suspiciously.</p><p>With just one look at Mer's beaming, rosy face and watery eyes, Jules laughs. "No way? Me too!".</p><p>After their delighted six-way hug, Harry can't help but eye Rosie, chatting with Jason, Niall and Glenne in the living room. She'd just hit the eight month mark and is complaining that she feels the size of a house. Jason's attentive fussing is adorable.</p><p>"Fucking hell, there's babies everywhere!", he chuckles. "There must be something in the water".</p><p>"Eek!", Ben quips, plucking the water bottle out of Eloise's hands and shooting them both a pointed look, to James' delight. "God, it's easy to forget how young you two actually are...".</p><p>Eloise rolls her eyes. "Oh, chill, Dad!", she sasses, sarcastically. "I'm not getting any ideas!", she reassures him. "Besides, Jason's even older than you lot, and Simon too; God, it feels like Angelo's been around forever now...", she reasons.</p><p>She plants her hands on either side of Harry's jaw and kisses him hotly, just to wind her brother up, before nodding at  Adele who's calling her name from the patio door, wanting company while she has a smoke.</p><p>Harry chuckles, watching her walk away with a smirk as he thumbs his lower lip.</p><p>"Seriously?", Ben sasses, swatting the back of his head. "It's you who shouldn't be getting any ideas...", he warns sternly, "I know how broody you get over babies!".</p><p>Harry just holds his hands up, acquiescing; he can't deny that.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Even after staying late to help clean up, insisting Mer put her feet up, Harry and Eloise make it back home to crawl into bed just before midnight.</p><p>They've got another busy week ahead, and, despite all her talk from earlier, they crash quickly.</p><p>"I can't believe all the baby news, so exciting...", Harry mumbles sleepily into her neck.</p><p>She can feel his grin as he puckers his lips to drop a kiss to her nape, but hears his breathing even out before she can even reply.</p><p>Sighing contentedly and stroking his arm wrapped over her waist, she whispers, "Sleep well, baby".</p><p>Trying to work out the maths has her dropping off to sleep herself in no time. Allowing for just their brief nap, they've been awake for a solid twenty four hours.</p><p>What a shift.</p><p>&gt;<br/>&gt;</p><p>18th May 2017</p><p>They certainly put in another few lengthy shifts over the next few days, when Harry joins James and Ben for a four night residency on the Late Late Show.</p><p>Seeing Ben prowl around the studio has certainly given Eloise a whole new appreciation for just how much he manages to squeeze into a long working day.</p><p>She's always been slightly in awe of her eldest brother, but to see him in his element and commanding the crew of this huge production, whilst keeping tabs on everything else on his company's slate at the same time, fills her with pride and makes her realise just how much he's achieved at his relatively young age.</p><p>From 8am, he's in various planning meetings for that night's show. Then in rehearsals with James and then the guests after lunch. They film the show in front of a live studio audience from 5pm to 6.30pm. He's then in the editing booth for at least a couple of hours, cutting that night's final episode, for delivery to stations by 9.30pm, airing just after 11.30pm.</p><p>He's at the helm of a beast of a show, airing in over 150 countries, night after night. It's relentless, and he absolutely thrives on it.</p><p>Eloise can't begin to fathom how he has the time, energy or inclination for all his other projects.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>She shadowed him for a fair bit on Monday, but it proved overwhelming enough to have her retreat to a quiet corner of Harry's dressing room for much of the rest of the week, working remotely to catch up on Killing Eve pre-production and Skype with her dialogue coach.</p><p>They installed a bed in there for a skit for the opening of Monday's episode. It's been there ever since, and she can't deny that they haven't fooled around in it.</p><p>Harry's technically not needed in the studio until early afternoon each day, but he's keen and excited and loves the opportunity to hang out with two of his best mates under the guise of work, so they've spent a lot of time here already.</p><p>He pops up all over the show during the course of the week. He wears some killer suits, and even a pinstripe jumpsuit. He delivers some barn-storming live performances. He hijacks one of James' monologues, complete with some terrible jokes, and even finds an excuse to juggle. He films some skits with James - including turns as surgeons, pallbearers and bomb disposal experts. He gets involved with some live games too, including Flinch, with James and Aaron Taylor-Johnson.</p><p>Eloise watches all the rehearsals and live tapings proudly from the front of the audience.</p><p>James should be looking over his shoulder. Harry's a natural. What can't he do?</p><p>&gt;</p><p>The undisputed highlight of the four night run will be his Carpool Karaoke, which they're busy filming now.</p><p>Eloise sits with Ben in the van following the Range Rover, and they flit between watching in awe and falling about laughing as they watch the feeds from the little cameras around the car.</p><p>The songs are agreed beforehand, obviously, and topics for discussion mooted but not scripted.</p><p>Harry and James' natural chemistry makes this a delight, Ben explains, alluding to some episodes that proved far more painful to film and cobble together in the edit.</p><p>Eloise can't stop smiling, and blushes knowing how moony she looks watching them, lapping it all up, brimming with pride. And, God, he looks incredible too; he's practically glowing with happiness.</p><p>She can't help but cast her mind back to them singing in the car that first day on the drive to Malibu.</p><p>Seeing how James looks at Harry as he sings Sweet Creature has her grateful no one had a camera on her that day. She'd have died of embarrassment, fawning all over him.</p><p>James will lap it up, of course; as evidenced by their cheeky kiss. Best believe she'll be giving him some grief for that.</p><p>The One Direction fans made their Carpool Karaoke one of their highest viewed on YouTube. Ben is certain this will go down just as well.</p><p>To any remaining sceptics, naysayers or detractors it should provide irrefutable proof of Harry's talent, charisma and charm.</p><p>He's not wrong. It proves a triumph, with a rapturous reception and staggering number of hits.</p><p>&gt;<br/>&gt;</p><p>19th May 2017</p><p>Harry's show the next night further cements his successful solo status.</p><p>They're back at the Troubadour, just a couple of months after Eloise's final performance filming for Daisy Jones &amp; The Six.</p><p>After a quiet minute alone on stage before soundcheck, Eloise follows through on her promised pep talk. "...You're the real deal here, Harry. You belong up here", she implores. Adding, after a beat, as she gestures to the stage, "But up here, okay? No more stage dives!".</p><p>She indulges him in a quickie in his dressing room before he has to start getting ready. How could she refuse?</p><p>If there was any doubt the grin might slip off his face at any point that day, that just about cements it.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>In printed gold glittered flares and a black shirt, he looks every inch the star. He was born to be on stage.</p><p>The VIP crowd on the balcony is filled with friendly faces; pretty much everyone from his surprise party, plus all the Azoffs, Kris and Kendall, Xander, Waseem, Alexa, Kelly, the band's friends and family, and many more.</p><p>When he brings out Stevie Nicks as a surprise guest, the whole crowd lose it. He comes pretty close too.</p><p>With tears streaming down her face, Eloise holds her phone aloft throughout the three songs they perform together - FaceTiming Anne, as promised, despite it being silly o'clock in the morning for her.</p><p>Eloise loves the close bond Harry has formed with Stevie. Their voices sound incredible together, and the belted note he hits in Landslide leaves her literally covered in goosebumps.</p><p>He's certainly not the only one who doesn't make it to the end of the song without crying.</p><p>They're all losing their collective shit, but in a cool way.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>After the show, she battles her way back to his dressing room to kiss him senseless, at a total loss for words, but overflowing with love and pride for him.</p><p>It quickly devolves, as is their wont, into something more, and she's soon scuffing the knees of her black skinny jeans, cementing his rockstar status with an epic blowjob.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>His guests continue drinking on the balcony, so by the time the last of the crowd has left, they venture back out to find them all trashed and more than up for a good time.</p><p>They lock the doors and open the bar for the afterparty.</p><p>Now, with a few weeks downtime in his schedule, Harry lets loose and quickly catches up with everyone.</p><p>It's safe to say his voice holds out better than hers had at her wrap party.</p><p>With tight hugs and sloppy kisses to many a cheek, he makes a point of thanking every single person for helping to make it the best night of his life and waxes lyrical about how much he adores them.</p><p>Eloise can't help but feel sad that Anne couldn't make it. She'd be bursting with pride at his performance and the duets with Stevie; but, mostly, she wishes she could just be here, right now, to witness this incredibly kind and loving man she'd raised.</p><p>She snaps some footage of him tangled in a long and wordy embrace with Jeff Bhasker and perches on the edge of the stage to type out a long and gushy message to Anne, recalling the night for her. With one eye closed in concentration, and correcting howling typos and grammar along the way, the time out actually helps her sober up a bit.</p><p>In a turn of events, it ends up being her battling to get him home this time.</p><p>But where she's a lot lighter and had just been asleep, he's bigger, stronger and has tequila flowing through his veins.</p><p>When one of his uncooperative feet trips her up, they sprawl in a giggling heap before even making it backstage to find his waiting driver, and Jeff quickly steps in to help.</p><p>Once again, they couldn't have done without him.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Part F</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>28th May 2017</p><p>They arrived back in the UK a few days before, on standby for his mum for the summer.</p><p>Harry went straight up to Holmes Chapel, intent on staying up there for extended periods.</p><p>Eloise will have to split her time, going back and forth from London, juggling Killing Eve pre-production meetings.</p><p>Rearranging some meetings and cancelling a few appointments to free herself up where possible, she was able to join them after just a few days, in time for the long and sunny Bank Holiday weekend.</p><p>It's a perfect afternoon, delightfully warm and without a cloud in the sky.</p><p>And a pretty perfect spot, too. They can hear the gentle rush of the river running along the bottom of the pub garden, and with the flowers out in full bloom, the scent of blossom lingers on the soft breeze.</p><p>With the abundant lilac petals of the wisteria trailing over the pergola above their table lending some cover on their semi-private terrace, they while away a wonderful hazy, lazy afternoon and evening.</p><p>As the sun starts dropping, it gets a little fresher, and they make use of the blankets stacked by the back door to the bar, snuggled closely together.</p><p>Harry, sitting with his back to the rest of the pub garden, with Eloise nestled into his side, looks around at all his close family and his mum's best friend and her family too. It's joyous and light and exactly what they all needed.</p><p>Keeping his head down and his hat pulled low, they're blissfully undisturbed.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Later, conscious Eloise has been at the bar ordering their next round for a while, Harry asks Gemma to check on her and help ferry the drinks back.</p><p>Rounding the corner, she huffs a breath through her nose when she eyes the few guys surrounding her at the bar. She recognises them from Harry's year at school, but only knows one by name.</p><p>Eloise's ballet-honed posture is impressive enough at the best of times, but Gemma can tell from her rigid body language that they're making her feel uncomfortable.</p><p>When she sees him lean closer to whisper in her ear and drop a hand to her forearm before she quickly shakes him off, Gemma strides up.</p><p>"Oh, back off, Mark... It's plain to see your charm offensive isn't working", she says haughtily, pulling a face at Eloise as if to say 'I've got this'.</p><p>"Ah, if it isn't the Sassy Styles?", he says snidely, "Haven't seen you here for a while...".</p><p>Gemma ignores him and addresses Eloise, who's taking their tab card back from the barman. "Come on, I'll send one of the others in to fetch the drinks".</p><p>"Why are you scurrying off so soon, Gemma? We were just talking... You're not still holding that silly grudge are you?", he pushes.</p><p>"Well yes, Mark, I am", she levels, hand on hip. "You sold stories to the press about him; there's no coming back from that in my book".</p><p>Eloise whips her head back towards him, bold blue eyes taking on a dark and stormy hue.</p><p>"So how is the fêted little bro anyway? Off somewhere plowing his way through Victoria's Secret models?", he asks crassly.</p><p>"Hardly!", Gemma scoffs, cutting her eyes warily to Eloise who's now frowning.</p><p>"Come on", she tugs at her arm. "He was getting worried."</p><p>"No way! Don't tell me he's here?".</p><p>"Okay; I won't", Gemma shrugs, noncommittally.</p><p>"Oh shit!", he turns to Eloise. "Don't tell me you're with him?".</p><p>"Okay; she won't", Gemma sasses again.</p><p>"Unbelievable! That fucking guy has so much game...", Mark laughs with his buddies as the girls stride away, hurriedly agreeing not to mention him to Harry.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Once the sun sets, they finally get ready to leave and file through the bar.</p><p>As Harry, batting off their protests, steps up to the bar to settle the tab, Alan, the landlord leans over for a quiet word of warning.</p><p>There's a solo paparazzo waiting outside the pub. They're in sleepy Cheshire, a solid thirty minutes outside even Manchester, so he must have been tipped off.</p><p>The pub is their trusty local, so Alan kindly kept him off the premises and didn't want to ruin Harry's night by mentioning it any earlier.</p><p>"Argh, fucking hell", Harry whines, trying to keep his frustration in check after such a lovely day.</p><p>"Fucking Mark, I'll bet you", Gemma whispers to Eloise, out of his earshot.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>When there's a worrying stumble and fall on the steps at the front door, the pap jumps into action and starts snapping photos as the guys, including Harry, rush in to help.</p><p>Seeing him react so quickly, it dawns on Eloise that he might not have clocked what the pap's doing, so swiftly stalks over to take matters into her own hands.</p><p>She approaches him, politely enough. "Come on, you can't photograph that... That's not okay. Please stop", she gets in his way, blocking his shots.</p><p>"No chance! Come on, love. Get out of my way", he scoffs, trying to dodge her, but she doesn't back down.</p><p>When he pulls his camera away from his face to snap at her, he does a double take. "Wait! You're Harry's bird, aren't you?", he quickly starts snapping photos of her instead.</p><p>Putting a hand up to block the blinding flashes from his camera in her face, she tries again. "Hey, come on! Please? I'm trying to be reasonable here. I shouldn't have to ask you to show some compassion... But what will it take?".</p><p>"Well... I guess I'd need you to give me something better?".</p><p>"Delete those photos first", she counters.</p><p>"No way! What would stop you just running off-?".</p><p>"El!", Harry calls brusquely over from the car, interrupting them.</p><p>She turns and raises an index finger to him, mouthing "One second", before turning back to the paparazzo.</p><p>"Do you promise you'll delete those afterwards? Better yet, let me delete them?".</p><p>"El, come on!", Harry insists, walking closer and wrapping a hand around her wrist to pull her back.</p><p>"Harry, mate!", the pap addresses him with faux camaraderie. "Nice bird you've got here-".</p><p>Eloise interrupts him this time whilst holding firm against Harry's pull. "Promise me. If we give you something juicier it's only fair you let us see it, right?".</p><p>"Depends how juicy?", he parries back with a smirk.</p><p>"El, what are you-?", Harry tries again.</p><p>She spins, grabbing the collar of his partially unbuttoned shirt and taking a few steps back until her back hits the whitewashed brick wall.</p><p>"El! What-?", Harry stumbles after her, hips knocking into hers.</p><p>"Just trust me", she whispers against his lips, pulling him in with her arms wrapping around his waist and smoothing up his back. "Now shut up and kiss me. Properly".</p><p>As she leans up to find his lips, he automatically leans down, bracing a bent arm on the brickwork above her head, crowding his weight into her and the wall.</p><p>She drags a hand up his back to thread through his hair, angling his lips towards hers.</p><p>The flurry of rapid camera flashes pops, even behind their closed eyes.</p><p>After just a couple of seconds, Harry pulls back, dropping his forehead to hers. "Fuck! What are you playing at?", he grits lowly, equal parts confused and aroused.</p><p>"Trust me!", she repeats with a grin, before pushing her hips into his to push him back. "Go back to the others, I'll be right behind you. Go!".</p><p>She struts back to the pap, who is staring at the camera's display, grinning broadly. "Happy now?", she thumbs at her lower lip playfully.</p><p>"Fuck yes! That's golden, thank you, really".</p><p>"Can I see?", she asks sweetly with her palm outstretched, gesturing for his camera with wiggling fingers. "Come on! I've been nothing but straight and upfront with you, haven't I?".</p><p>He hands it over carefully. She flirts a bit, stepping closer and asking him to show her how to scroll through the shots before laying it on thick and praising his photography skills. "These look so great! They're definitely juicy!", she giggles coquettishly. "So I can delete the first set, like you promised? Will you show me how?".</p><p>Distracting him, she asks his name and how long he's been at it, and whether he normally works in Manchester. Nodding as he waffles on about footballers she's never heard of, she quickly flicks back through the photos to the end. Carefully turning the camera in her hands, she steps next to him and takes a selfie of the two of them, even turning her head to pucker her lips by his cheek for a second snap.</p><p>"EL!", Harry calls exasperatedly again from where he stands by the open car door. His face is a picture; the deep frown line between his eyebrows and the harsh set of his lips clearly match his tone in saying 'What the actual fuck?'.</p><p>The photographer blushes as Eloise rolls her eyes playfully in Harry's direction and says goodbye with a flirty wave.</p><p>He stares wantonly after her as she jogs over the path and towards the waiting car, before checking out their selfies with glee.</p><p>Grabbing Harry's arm, Eloise mutters "Quick! We have to go, now!", as she dives into the backseat, dragging him in after her.</p><p>As they pull out of the car park, they hear a furious shout through the open window. "You fucking bitch!".</p><p>Harry spins in his seat to face her. "You didn't...!", he gapes.</p><p>"What did you do?", Gemma laughs from the front passenger seat.</p><p>"Deleted them all!", Eloise singsongs with a shrug. She affects a ditzy Valley girl accent and adds, "So many buttons... Oops!".</p><p>"Savage!", Gemma cheers.</p><p>"He's the fucking savage! What a scumbag thing to do...", she tuts.</p><p>"Genius, babe. Thank you", Harry says lowly, kissing her temple.</p><p>"That's a patented Rosie move", she admits with a chuckle. "Works every time!".</p><p>"And if it hadn't?", he frowns with a grimace.</p><p>"Well, we'd have upped the ante... You'd probably be getting papped leading me out the ladies toilets looking a bit dishevelled right about now", she laughs.</p><p>"Fucking hell!", he laughs, shaking his head in disbelief, loving her gumption and her protective streak.</p><p>&gt;<br/>&gt;</p><p>8th June 2017</p><p>Harry and Eloise were both back down in London by the time Ben, Mer, James and Jules landed on Saturday ahead of a week of filming the Late Late Show in London.</p><p>After a Sunday lunch at her parent's house, celebrating Ben and Mer's baby news, the boys had been hard at it, working all hours to pull off the show remotely, without the familiarity of their usual Hollywood studio and crew.</p><p>Anne and Gemma drove down earlier today, excited to see Harry's performance for the show, being filmed on the roof of the beautiful Central Hall in Westminster later on.</p><p>Having all met up for lunch at a nearby riverside restaurant on the South Bank, on the opposite side of the Thames, they have to wrap it up hastily when paparazzi spot James and Harry, and a small crowd of tourists soon descends, drawn by the excited shouts and flashes.</p><p>Ben, James, Harry, the band and Lou all had to leave soon enough anyway, to head back to the Hall for rehearsals and soundcheck.</p><p>Pouting that he can't kiss Eloise goodbye under their watchful lenses, Harry leans over her, his mum and sister and waggles his finger playfully. "Now don't go getting too drunk and disorderly, you hear? Worrying about one of you staggering off the roof would be terribly distracting!", he warns with a laugh.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>When they, plus Mer, Jules and James' parents, head back across Westminster Bridge towards a riverside pub, intent on soaking up the afternoon sun, they get a little distracted.</p><p>They can't resist ducking into a cute little baby boutique on the way. The swathes of tiny outfits and toys makes the prospect of her first little niece or nephew all the more real, and Eloise has to physically resist the temptation to go wild in the aisles.</p><p>Squealing with delight, she holds up two adorable tiny pink and blue onesies to Anne, who coos along with her. But, seeing the worrisome glint in her eye, Anne soon plucks them off her and jokingly bundles her out the shop.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>The paps found them again at the pub, snapping photos of her with Harry's family, even without him.</p><p>Gemma, not messing around when she gets back from the bar with their second round of gin and tonics in pint glasses, spots them and makes Eloise swap seats so she has her back to them.</p><p>"I'm usually the one doing that!", Eloise laughs it off.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>They make their way back to Central Hall in Westminster before 5pm, in time to watch them film the show.</p><p>Harry appears for a quick skit, emerging to perch on James' desk and answer a ringing phone. The audience lap it up.</p><p>After taping the show, they film his performance of Carolina inside before heading up to the roof for Two Ghosts.</p><p>It's breathtaking. He sounds amazing and looks incredible in the dusky twilight as the camera pans around him and the band to take in the incredible view of the iconic London skyline - from Westminster Abbey, to the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, to the London Eye across the river.</p><p>Eloise is covered in goosebumps - very much from him and not the breeze on this balmy early evening - and pulls Anne into a hug as she sees her dabbing at her watery eyes, thrilled she was able to catch such a special performance in person.</p><p>However, Harry proves altogether less enamouring when, after they wrap, he runs over and starts rubbing himself all over a squealing Eloise in his bottle blue velvet suit.</p><p>God, the thought of the fabric alone is enough to make her skin crawl; even the feel of his body moving against hers doesn't help to repress her revulsion. He laughs with glee at her predictable reaction. She needs to have a word with Harry Lambert.</p><p>Given the three girls had been drinking at the pub, after saying their goodbyes, they swing via Hampstead to collect their already packed bags, and Harry drives them all back to Holmes Chapel in his mum's car.</p><p>&gt;<br/>&gt;</p><p>15th June 2017</p><p>Their three hour flight from Manchester was later than the Gatwick one, so they were already due to arrive later than everyone else, even before their delay on the runway.</p><p>After a forty minute taxi ride through the lush Mallorcan countryside from the airport in Palma, they arrive at the dark villa just before 10pm, with everyone else very much out for the night.</p><p>After a few attempts, Harry finally gets hold of an evidently wasted Grimmy to learn he'd forgotten to leave their key under the doormat.</p><p>With their taxi long gone, they're left with no other option, so Harry boosts Eloise over the stone wall to the patio.</p><p>When that door proves locked too - despite Nick's insistance otherwise - and with Eloise falling about with laughter at their situation and unable to get herself back over the wall, Harry resorts to chucking their bags over and heaving himself up too.</p><p>Cursing all the while at Nick fucking Grimshaw.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Waiting out the others' return back to the villa after their late dinner, their snuggling on a sunlounger soon turns playful.</p><p>When Harry dares Eloise to go skinny dipping, he knows her fierce competitive streak won't let her back down, however apprehensive she might be about the risk of getting caught.</p><p>Egging each other on, they strip off and jump in, splashing around.</p><p>Things soon hot up and he has her backed into a corner of the pool, making out heavily, when they jump apart hearing laughter on the drive followed by the slamming of car doors.</p><p>Fuck!</p><p>Quick as lightening, Harry scrambles out the pool, tossing her her knickers as he hops around and hastily tugs up his boxers.</p><p>"Busted!", Nick roars with laughter from the patio door a split second later, delighting in literally catching Harry red handed, holding Eloise's bra.</p><p>"No! Don't, it's silk!", she shouts, before he can toss it to her in the chlorinated water.</p><p>Laughing good-naturedly at just knowing it was a bad idea, she sees no other option than to wrap her arms around her chest, giving the delighted, drunken crowd an eyeful of her cleavage as she steps towards a red-faced Harry, chuckling guiltily as he steps forward to quickly wrap her in a towel he'd spotted at the back of the patio.</p><p>Cutting off his hurried apologies, she pinches his side, making him yelp. "I bloody told you so! Any more bright ideas?!", she sasses.</p><p>With the towel firmly secured, she greets Nick, Lou and Kelly with slightly soggy hugs. Alexa and Daisy are off with Pixie, on bridesmaid duty for the night.</p><p>Harry introduces her to the other villa guests, including Sam, Lou's twin sister, and Theo, the frontman of The Hurts. Pixie has a wide circle of artsy friends and her soon-to-be husband, George, is a drummer, so has plenty of friends across the music industry too.</p><p>It's an achingly cool crowd; and, with her imposter syndrome, she can't help but feel a little out of place. So it's fantastic that they've all seen her topless in her soggy knickers before she's even said hello.</p><p>When Grimmy hands her a glass of red wine, she gulps half of it in one go, before they all sit down and start chatting, regaling all the antics from dinner.</p><p>They inevitably end up back in the pool again, but Eloise makes a point to dig her bikini top out of her luggage first.</p><p>A few of the other girls don't bother, and the guys are all just in their boxers.</p><p>She's no prude but knows it would bother Harry. She doesn't need his jealous and possessive streak flaring up. They're around friends, who are all wasted, but he's very much sober and has been understandably on edge recently. He doesn't need antagonising.</p><p>She also doesn't trust Nick not to whip out his camera. Not for a split second.</p><p>And wisely so.</p><p>&gt;<br/>&gt;</p><p>16th June 2017</p><p>Harry and Eloise emerge from their room into the deathly quiet villa.</p><p>It's silent, bar the snoring from a few dishevelled bodies sprawled on sofas and in sunloungers around the pool.</p><p>They'd headed in for showers and bed just after 1am, but the party had evidently continued into the early hours.</p><p>Glasses and bottles cram every surface of the kitchen, interspersed with overspilling ashtrays and even a plate with a forgotten wonky couple of lines of cocaine.</p><p>"Not sure I want to eat in here anyway...", Harry whispers, screwing up his nose in distaste. "Come on, let's head into town and find some breakfast".</p><p>Grabbing a key from the console table in the foyer, he tips his head to the heavy wooden front door.</p><p>Hushing her giggling as he pulls it closed behind them, he slings an arm around her neck and grins. "What?".</p><p>"You! Acting like some choir boy when they weren't far off seeing us going at it in the pool last night!", she slings her arm around his waist and pinches his hip playfully.</p><p>"I said I'm sorry!", he protests with a weak chuckle, but she'll continue to give him shit for it, obviously.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Still only late morning, it's already hotting up.</p><p>Strolling around the picturesque hillside town of Deià after stopping for breakfast, they cut a matching pair in sunglasses, shorts, t-shirts and trainers. He's in bright blue shorts and a crisp white tee; she's in her ripped light blue denim cutoffs with a black top.</p><p>Things heat up further when he's spotted as they walk through the main town square, and slightly swarmed by polite but a little over-zealous fans.</p><p>Recognising her from behind her sunglasses, a few bravely ask for a photo with them both.</p><p>Despite his polite refusals, Eloise feels bemused at the absurdity of them then asking him to take photos of them with her too. He's happy to oblige and coerces her into it, finding it pretty refreshing to be on the other side of the lens for a change.</p><p>She laughs outright as he tries in vain, despite the language barrier, to ask them to avoid posting anything to social media for a few days, ideally, but at least for a few hours.</p><p>Their little crowd soon attracts the attention of a few paps, loitering outside a bar just off the square.</p><p>Some are English and must have flown in especially at the prospect of rockstar progeny's star-studded wedding. Presumably the Spanish paps have flown in from the mainland too. The island's too sleepy to warrant its own fleet of paps, surely?</p><p>They can't believe their luck when they realise it's Harry and Eloise.</p><p>Ludicrous stories had been splashed across the tabloids last week; nonsense about her being pregnant and shopping for baby clothes with his mum and sister.  With twins, apparently!</p><p>Eloise had unknowingly been caught by the paps when they'd innocently followed Mer and Jules into the baby shop on their way to the pub last week. They'd snapped her delightedly holding up two tiny onesies as Anne looked fondly on with a excited grin. They'd also caught them again, laughing as they left the shop, arm in arm. Bagless, but nonetheless.</p><p>Subsequent photos of them at the pub with her drinking what appeared to be water or lemonade out of a pint glass apparently provided incontrovertible proof that she was in fact expecting.</p><p>They'd been quick to wholeheartedly refute it to family and friends, but with the paps now following hot on their heels even through this dusty little Balearic town, she can't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all - deduced just from three innocent photos.</p><p>With the paps good-naturedly calling out congratulations and asking them to confirm that she is in fact pregnant, she can't help but break Harry's cardinal rule to 'never complain, never explain'.</p><p>"No, I'm not!", she laughs, turning to face them and walking backwards. "Why? Don't tell me I look pregnant with twins?!", she sasses before spinning back to Harry, flashing a sliver of her toned, slim waist in the process.</p><p>Harry just shakes his head ruefully as they speed walk though the twisting streets, trying to shake them off and find the restaurant Nick told them to meet at for lunch.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Their long lunch spills into afternoon drinks and then dinner, before the owner regretfully has to throw them out.</p><p>Bundling out of taxis back at the villa, they pretty much repeat the night before. Minus climbing the wall.</p><p>Splashing from the pool is drowned out by raucous laughter and blaring music, right up until they all pass out in the early hours.</p><p>&gt;<br/>&gt;</p><p>17th June 2017</p><p>Harry's huffing and puffing.</p><p>They're both a bit hungover but he has seemed unusually quiet and a little on edge all morning.</p><p>When she'd gently mentioned it, he tried blaming the hangover before shrugging and admitting he just feels a bit off and ill-at-ease, promising to shake it off.</p><p>There's no denying their stunning surroundings at the Son Marroig estate; a medieval monastery turned country manor house with breathtaking views of the sparkling Mediterranean Sea beyond a flower-adorned white marble rotunda, perched on the cliffside.</p><p>But there's absolutely no shade where the chairs are laid out for the ceremony in front of the rotunda, so well over a hundred guests are comically taking turns huddling under a few sparse trees and a stone archway nearby, desperate for some respite from the blazing mid-afternoon sun.</p><p>Despite the estate's staff plying them all with chilled champagne, it's safe to say that waiting for the bride for almost two hours now in blazing thirty degree heat doesn't help his mood. Not at all.</p><p>And, with their residual hangovers, the champagne's not going down terribly well either.</p><p>Ever the showman, Harry's charming enough whilst mingling and chatting when other guests approach him - including Pixie's dad, Sir Bob Geldof, and other compatriots of the British rock aristocracy - but Eloise can tell he's struggling, eyeing his phone worriedly.</p><p>He'd shed his cream double-breasted suit jacket almost immediately, rolled up the sleeves of his pale blue silk shirt and popped a button even lower than usual, but he's sweltering; groaning with relief on the few occasions an errant breeze ruffles through their hair.</p><p>She feels guilty in comparison, with her arms and legs out in a floaty, pale yellow Self Portrait lace and chiffon mini dress. She'd quickly pinned her hair up too, getting it off the back of her neck and shoulders.</p><p>After another quick phone call, he dashes down the aisle and returns to her side just before the string quartet strike up to announce Pixie's arrival. At very long last.</p><p>He downs the last of his champagne. "Fucking hell! A word of warning... I'm jumping straight in the very next swimming pool I see. Grab my phone off me first, won't you?".</p><p>She squeezes his knee, hands over a bottle of water she'd bartered for and fans him with her order of service.</p><p>God, if he's hot, Pixie must be sweltering in her heavily tiered white tulle gown. At least Alexa, Daisy and the other bridesmaids have it easier, in off the shoulder pale pink maxi dresses.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>After a beautiful, if sweaty, ceremony, the blissfully shady meal soon melts into an al fresco reception, heralded by a stunning sunset. Once the heat from the sun wanes, it's a delightful temperature, and they happily snap some gorgeous photos in front of an incredible sunset, blazing orange and pink.</p><p>Dancing with Lou, Sam and Alexa, Eloise keeps a close eye on him.</p><p>He's been making an effort, but is still not massively feeling it, and she noticed he's been nursing the same negroni for the last couple of hours.</p><p>They slide off and jump in one of the waiting taxis to leave the party early.</p><p>Well, relatively early, for Spain.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>It's almost 1am when they arrive back at the villa.</p><p>"You okay, baby?", she asks again as he quickly strips off in the cool of their darkened bedroom.</p><p>"Yeah... I'm sorry", he eyes her intently and tries again to shake it off.</p><p>Stepping closer, he slings an arm around her hips, fingering the delicate chiffon. "Did I even tell you how gorgeous you looked today?". He tuts playfully as he smirks, "You're not supposed to upstage the bride, baby".</p><p>"Oh, hush you!", she closes the remaining distance between them for a kiss, but he pulls back after the barest whisper of their lips.</p><p>She's relieved to see his smile.</p><p>"Hey, it's just gone 1am... Happy birthday, my love". They're an hour ahead of the UK in Spain.</p><p>He pulls her back in for a proper kiss, in celebration.</p><p>"Mmm", she whispers against his lips. "Does that mean I can unwrap my first present then?", she purrs, snapping the band of his boxers playfully with a throaty chuckle as he reaches eagerly for the zip of her dress.</p><p>&gt;<br/>&gt;</p><p>18th June 2017</p><p>Eloise isn't sure if it's Harry's phone vibrating on the nightstand that wakes her, or the low, strangled groan vibrating in the back of his throat.</p><p>But she's alert in an instant as he sits up and throws his legs over the side of the bed, leaning forward with his elbows braced on his spread knees and the sheet strewn across his lap.</p><p>Rubbing a weary hand over his face, he sighs and clears his throat before uttering just one low and gravelly syllable. "Gem?".</p><p>Eloise holds her breath. Running a hand up his bare back, she feels, so much as hears, his shaky intake of breath.</p><p>She hooks her fingers over the meat of his shoulder before he pitches forward over his legs. His move drags her with him and the momentum has her wrapping her arms around him tightly from behind.</p><p>He's not on the phone for long and quickly turns and melts into her arms, seeking comfort in the weak early morning light as harsh shaky breaths wrack his frame.</p><p>But he doesn't let himself cry.</p><p>That, somehow, makes it even more heartbreaking.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>When he's composed himself enough to insist he needs to call his mum, Eloise slips from the room to give him some privacy.</p><p>Squeezing her eyes shut at the feel of her own tears pooling, she jumps into action, scrambling to get them to the airport to head back as soon as possible.</p><p>As much as she wants to collapse into a heap, she has to be strong for him. He needs her.</p><p>After knocking quietly at his door without any response, she pokes her head into Nick's room to find him fast asleep and snoring snuffily. There's someone else in the bed, but, with their back to her, she can't make out whom in the low light.</p><p>She tiptoes over and crouches next to Nick, apologising in a whisper as she shakes him awake.</p><p>The shock of him bolting upright has her falling on her bum in surprise.</p><p>She'd only tugged on one of Harry's t-shirts and is pretty sure she flashed him, but can't quite bring herself to care.</p><p>"Fuck! What time is it?", he mumbles. "What d'you want Cadogs?", he slurs, eyes falling shut again.</p><p>She shakes him again. "Have you got that taxi company's number?".</p><p>"Where you goin' so early? Had a fight w' Harold or something?", he flips on his side, facing her; his appetite for gossip winning out over his want for sleep.</p><p>Hearing his companion shift, she shakes her head as she pushes back up to her feet and steps into the landing, gesturing for him to follow.</p><p>"He was a right mardy bum yesterday...", he grumbles, rubbing his eyes as he steps into the brighter light of the kitchen.</p><p>"No", she shakes her head emphatically. "Nick... fuck... We need to go. I have to get him home, now".</p><p>He hears the desperate tone and catch in her voice loud and clear. "Oh, shit. Oh, no...", he grits in a low whisper, reaching out to squeeze her forearm.</p><p>Biting her lip, she shakes her head and steps back, she can't break down. She's not sure she'd be able to pull herself back together again.</p><p>He seems to get it. "What can I do?", he insists, immediately alert.</p><p>"Call a cab, please? And, maybe distract the others so we can slip out in a while? He hasn't said a word yet... I don't want him crowded or having to deal with anyone".</p><p>"What about at the airport?".</p><p>"I don't know...", she blows out a breath through her lips. "I'll have to worry about that when we get there".</p><p>"Sounds like you've got him covered... Who's got you covered".</p><p>"I'm fine. I'll be fine", she insists shakily, convincing neither of them.</p><p>"You're not fine", he insists, one eyebrow raised. "Come here".</p><p>"No, no", she steps back, arms raised.</p><p>"Yes", he insists flatly and pulls her into him firmly.</p><p>After a second resisting stiffly, she crumples; sucking in a ragged sob of a breath, before melting into his arms.</p><p>Still, it's a bit weird; he's in a tiny pair of briefs, and she's just in a baggy white t-shirt with no underwear.</p><p>"Oi, oi! What's all this then?", they hear in a stage whisper.</p><p>She springs back with her head hung into Nick's shoulder as he shoots evils over hers.</p><p>"Now what would young Harry say?", Theo gasps. "Don't tell me you're considering that threesome after all?!", he laughs heartily. Almost certainly still drunk.</p><p>She spins, barely catching his eye as she swipes a tear from her distraught face. "Thanks, Nick, really", she says quietly, voice wobbling.</p><p>"Oh, shit! Sorry, Eloise, I didn't-", Theo backtracks, seeing the state of her.</p><p>"Mate, leave off...", Nick hushes him sternly, cutting him off and looking worriedly after her.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>She gets back to their room, surprised, but a little relieved, to see that Harry's moved.</p><p>Hearing the running water, she hastily shoves their stuff into their bags before heading to the ensuite.</p><p>Poking her head in the door, she sees him with his back to her in the shower, head hanging in the running water, hunched shoulders shaking violently.</p><p>She moves without a moment's hesitation and reaches a hand softly to the small of his back.</p><p>He jumps at the gentle contact before quickly spinning to bury his face in her neck, holding on to her tightly.</p><p>Raking her hand tightly over his back and into his wet hair, her white t-shirt is soon sopping wet.</p><p>That Harry passes no comment speaks volumes.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>They leave within the hour.</p><p>Nick's true to his word and sets up breakfast on the patio for the few people already awake, leaving the communal areas of the villa empty for them to slip out undisturbed to the taxi waiting on the drive.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>His sunglasses, hat and hoodie - despite the hot weather - make it clear he's desperate to go incognito.</p><p>She pays over the odds, but gets them on the next flight back to the UK.</p><p>Heading straight through to the departure lounge, they find the quietest corner and huddle close, settling in for the few hours they need to wait.</p><p>He barely says a word.</p><p>She desperately tries to keep a lid on how anxious his demeanour is making her feel. Watching someone intently, without wanting to let them know you're watching, is surprisingly exhausting.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>After an interminable wait, they ignore the calls for premium class passengers to board first, holding back until the final call.</p><p>Harry had learnt the hard way the chaos that can ensue if he's already belted in his seat upfront like a sitting duck as the rest of the plane files past.</p><p>So everyone else is seated when they slip in, as surreptitiously as possible.</p><p>They taxi back less than five minutes later and hurtle down the runway within ten.</p><p>"Let's get you home, baby", she whispers, squeezing his hand as the wheels lift.</p><p>Breaking his steadfast gaze out the window, he pulls her left hand to his lips and presses a reverent kiss against her knuckles. "I already am", he whispers against them, piercing her with an intense look from his watery green eyes. "Thank you, for everything, Eloise".</p><p>It's the most he's said in hours. "Shittiest birthday ever...", he scoffs, "I'm sorry".</p><p>She hushes him softly, shaking her head adamantly. "That's the least important thing right now".</p><p>"It's Father's Day too", he says lowly, throat bobbing as he swallows and looks glumly back out the window.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Part G</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>20th June 2017</p><p>Eloise never imagined she'd be mulling over her favourite motorway; but, hey, here she is.</p><p>Trying to avoid the hypnotising glare of the headlights streaming past in the opposite carriageway, she's actively following her meandering thoughts in a bid to stay alert.</p><p>Before Harry, she could count the number of times she'd been up the M40 on one hand. It's Oxford University territory, and as a Cambridge graduate she bleeds light blue, not dark blue.</p><p>She's not sure she'd ever even been on the M6 before him. Now she's lost count, and genuinely wonders if she could navigate it with her eyes shut.</p><p>As she reverses their last trip up from just three days ago - when they'd landed at Gatwick, grabbed some things at the house in Hampstead, then jumped straight in her car to head north - she'll readily admit that she prefers the journey when she's with him, or at least heading towards him.</p><p>Her heart ached driving away from him earlier this evening, especially in that state. She feels like she's abandoning him; all of them.</p><p>But he wouldn't have it and insisted she couldn't sack it off.</p><p>They're premiering Baby Driver in Europe first to hit some film festival deadlines, but are off to LA and then Sydney within the next couple of weeks. But first up is London, tomorrow.</p><p>It still doesn't all quite feel real just yet, but her hometown premiere of her first movie might just do the trick.</p><p>Harry is so disappointed he won't be there, but he can't leave - not yet - and admitted he couldn't bare the thought of facing a prying journalist right now. Completely understandable.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>When she pulls up at the house in Hampstead just after 10pm, she looks around glumly, hating the dark and oppressive silence.</p><p>She heads straight up to bed, calling him to check in as she wraps her arms around his pillow.</p><p>He hasn't slept on it for a couple of weeks now, but if she tries hard enough, she can just about smell the last traces of his cologne and shampoo.</p><p>She'll take whatever she can get.</p><p>&gt;<br/>&gt;</p><p>21st June 2017</p><p>Funnily enough, she's spent all day now missing the peace and quiet of the house last night.</p><p>It's been a whirlwind.  A fitting to check the final alterations on her dress for tonight; then prep, hair and make-up; filming a couple of interviews with Ansel; then more time in the hair and make-up chair in the hotel suite.</p><p>Her car had left the Sanderson Hotel only to crawl through rush hour traffic for the short journey to Leicester Square, ready to hit the carpet at 5.30pm.</p><p>For the peace and quiet, and the air conditioning, she'd happily sit in here for hours.</p><p>Checking her lipstick in the rearview mirror, she's not sure why they'd spent so long perfecting her dewy make up. In this heat she's certainly glowing anyway.</p><p>She scoffs hearing the DJ on the radio report that it's officially the hottest day recorded in London in forty years. No shit?</p><p>It's just her luck that she needs to be groomed to within an inch of her life and looking flawless in the middle of a heatwave with the mercury hitting a sweltering thirty five degrees in the centre of London.</p><p>She wishes she'd had her hair pinned up, not freshly trimmed and curled to bounce around her collar bones.</p><p>Trying to avoid wiping her sweaty palms on her blue Burberry gown, the leather seats of the Mercedes aren't doing much to help. </p><p>The dress is jazzed up with beaded embellishment, a thigh-high split and black ribbon straps trailing all the way down her back to the hemline. She'd snorted a laugh when the stylist told her the dusky blue hue was called 'Carolina blue'. Whatever; apparently it makes the blue of her eyes really pop.</p><p>Pinching herself, she checks her mood, needing to shake it off. She's in a designer gown, after a day of pampering, in a chauffeur-driven car, heading to her first premiere.</p><p>She can't complain about her phone companion either. Finally alone and out of earshot of an ever-gossipy glam crew, she'd FaceTimed Harry as soon as she got in the car, just to check in.</p><p>He's grateful for the distraction, but far more interested in her than in opening up about his feelings again.</p><p>She feels overdressed in this heat. "Is it too much? Too booby?", she fusses.</p><p>"You're really asking me that?", he smirks with an eyebrow raised. "Stop stressing! You look incredible, baby... I'm so sorry I can't be there, but we've got the Sky Entertainment News channel on already; we'll be watching... Blow me a kiss?".</p><p>As the car slows as it pulls into Leicester Square and she eyes the scale of the madness, he continues trying to keep her calm with gentle words and a soothing tone.</p><p>She's been to plenty of big events before. Hell, she'd seen the pandemonium of the boys' This Is Us premiere first hand at this very cinema a few years ago, supporting Ben. But it hits a little differently when it's her project, and she has to walk that long, long carpet solo.</p><p>That she hangs up with a string of curses, "Fuck, fuck, fucketty fuck, arrrgh... Love you byeee", suggests he wasn't massively successful in allaying her nerves. But, in doing so, she does manage to pull the first chuckle from him in a few days. She'll take it.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Stepping demurely from the Mercedes as her name is announced over the sound system, she has to resist the impulse to want to shrink away from all the attention.</p><p>Fittingly, given its importance to the film, music is blaring around the Square and the energy high. The carpet is a bold pink, and, oh, there's her massive face, gracing a huge poster alongside those of her other cast mates.</p><p>It's so busy. Excited fans call and shout from behind barriers; journalists and their film crews line the red carpet; and there's a bank of photographers near the entrance to the cinema.</p><p>Taken aback when some girls wave and shout her name, the publicist that quickly sidled up to her confirms she has time and leads her over.</p><p>A few ask her to sign the movie poster. One hands her a blank piece of paper then promptly unfurls it, whooping with delight as she reveals a photo of Harry. Eloise has to admire her cunning. "Cute pic!", she winks.</p><p>Laughing obligingly, she signs a few more photos of him, thanking them all for their support. When one holds out Harry's vinyl record sleeve, she asks which is her favourite song. "Literally all of them... Don't make me choose!", Eloise grins.</p><p>The publicist tugs her away and she apologises to the fans she didn't quite get to.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Ushered quickly to the top of the press line, it's time to turn on the schmooze for the video and radio interviews.</p><p>She can't shake the feeling that this is all just a bit silly, frivolous and hollow. Sweet fans are one thing, but she'll need to give the performance of her life to hide the fact she'd really just rather be wrapped up in Harry's arms right now.</p><p>So she gives it her all, gushing about the amazing experience of shooting her first film and blowing smoke up the arses of her cast mates. She praises Edgar Wright, the writer and director, and talks about his use of music and choice of amazing tracks.</p><p>When asked about her favourite song from the soundtrack, her smile in genuine. "Oh, great question! There are so many... I should really say B-A-B-Y by Carla Thomas, but, I've always really loved Know How by Young MC", she admits.</p><p>As the flirty Sky interviewer barks a laugh of surprise and raps a fast verse, he's surprised when she joins in. "Well that was genuinely impressive! You must have pretty eclectic taste in music?".</p><p>She just shrugs a laugh and blows a cheeky kiss to the camera. Especially for her baby.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>She jumps, feeling arms wrap around her from behind. It's Ansel, gatecrashing her interview.</p><p>Turning to hug him, she clocks her parents, Ollie and Lucas out the corner of her eye, loitering by the entrance to the cinema with her agent, Charles.</p><p>When they see her spot them, they shout and point their cameras almost as eagerly as the rabid bank of photographers alongside them.</p><p>They and Ansel totally throw off her train of thought... Where was she? Oh, right, the interviewer was starting to probe about Harry. Fuck.</p><p>However, the distraction works,  and Ansel smoothly redirects the conversation.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>She wishes he could have stuck with her for the rest. Fairly sure it's not just the heat, she's left discretely swiping at the sweat she can feel forming at her temple when the last few journalists start grilling her on camera, broaching the subject of Harry.</p><p>They must hear each other and have some professional pact to up the ante and make her squirm. She's vague and deploying her best noncommittal responses, but they push hard.</p><p>The penultimate guy isn't messing around. "So where's Harry then? Isn't he here to support you tonight? We thought you were close?" .</p><p>"Well, yes, he's a wonderful friend; but sadly he couldn't make it... Busy man, that one", she smiles softly.</p><p>"Right!", he nods hammily. "And you're that close to all your 'friends' are you?", he sasses skeptically, adding "So, set the record straight: are congratulations in order?".</p><p>"Only for the film, I swear!", she scoffs with a shake of her head, stepping pointedly away.</p><p>The final interviewer, with a Sky News microphone, isn't as meek as she looks. "Now, we've seen photos of you with Harry and his family, and know you're close... Can you tell us how they're holding up right now?", she asks with a look of faux concern.</p><p>It blindsides Eloise. She would never address that question, on principle, and can't believe she even had the gall to ask it. She'd heard him on the phone to Jeff last night, talking about whether they'd need to put out a statement, but didn't realise the news had broken.</p><p>Willing herself not to well up, she gapes at her in disbelief before setting her jaw. Shaking her head, she turns towards the film's publicist; she's done.</p><p>As if it had to be that crew? He said he'd be watching Sky. Fuck.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Eloise is relieved to be swiftly ushered away, to the top of the carpet where her cast mates are gathering for the photo call.</p><p>Ansel, with Kevin Spacey, Jamie Foxx, Jon Hamm and Eiza González, plus Edgar Wright. She can't help but still feel a little star stuck around them all, given so much of her time on set had just been with Ansel.</p><p>She has to swallow the lump in her throat when Jon leans close, peering down at her perceptively. "You okay, kiddo? Bit overwhelmed?". He has no idea.</p><p>He slings a meaty arm across her shoulders and pulls her into the middle of the line up.</p><p>She can't help but grimace at feeling his body heat; but she won't complain, eyeing him and other guys sweating in their suits and ties.</p><p>God, it's sweltering.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>After Eloise poses for some photos alone, and then sandwiched between Ollie and Lucas and then with her parents too, they all head swiftly into the chilled cinema foyer.</p><p>But while they all fall on alcoholic drinks from the free bar, Eloise opts for an ice cold bottle of water. She's just not feeling it, despite Charles trying to convince her otherwise.</p><p>As they hang around and she introduces them all to Ansel and Jon, her brothers proudly post photos of her on her big day to their social media accounts and tag her public profile.</p><p>Their phones soon blow up with congratulatory comments from their friends, teammates and fans. But it's not long until a few of Harry's so-called fans pounce and start flooding the posts with comments; about what him not being there means for their rumoured relationship, and what her choosing a glitzy industry event over supporting him and his family at home says about their relationship and about her.</p><p>Ollie and Lucas agree not to mention it and both switch off their phones to resist the urge to reply and put them in their place.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Eloise had seen the final cut, but through the Dolby cinema speakers, the mix and pounding bass of the initial heist scene reverberates straight through her.  And it's not just her taken with it; she clocks many a head around the cinema bopping as Ansel smoothly struts and dances through downtown Atlanta in the opening titles, scored to Harlem Shuffle.</p><p>She's still weirded out watching herself on screen, so cuts her eyes instead to gauge the reactions of her proud parents and brothers.</p><p>All in all, it's a pretty overwhelming day, especially given her emotions had already been riding so high.</p><p>Unsurprisingly, she skips the afterparties and heads home.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Stepping out of her heels and quickly stripping off to drape her gown over the back of a dining room chair, she looks around the quiet house and quickly comes to her senses.</p><p>After running upstairs for a quick shower and to grab her things, she's heading back towards her new favourite motorways within thirty minutes.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Letting herself in quietly with the spare key, she crawls into bed behind him at 1am.</p><p>He doesn't fully stir, but drops his arm over hers where it rests tightly over his waist, finding comfort at last in their close contact.</p><p>&gt;<br/>&gt;</p><p>29th June 2017</p><p>After a tough and draining few days, they return to London via Wembley Stadium for something pretty special.</p><p>Her best friend, doing her thing in front of 100,000 people at the last stop of her all-conquering world tour.</p><p>Eloise couldn't miss it.</p><p>Rosie does, but, having given birth to an adorable baby boy just four days ago in LA, she has a pretty damn good excuse.</p><p>She repeatedly assured Harry he didn't need to come either, but he insists he's feeling up to it and doesn't want to miss out.</p><p>Adele had been travelling extensively for well over twelve months, and Eloise can't wait to hopefully get to start seeing a little more of her best friend.  And she's eager to start right now.</p><p>They leave the car with the valet at VIP parking and head backstage, straight to Adele's private dressing room, rather than mingling with the other celebrity guests and hangers-on in the green room.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>They wait until Adele is midway through her opening number, Hello, before slipping into the darkened back corner of the VIP box.</p><p>Eloise catches up with Adele's family, but otherwise, she and Harry keep to themselves, arms around each other, swaying and singing along gently as they take in the spectacle.</p><p>Sometimes, she manages to forget just how phenomenally talented her gobby best friend really is.</p><p>From charming the enormous crowd into a cheering frenzy, she's then able to reduce them straight into a stunned silence so revered you could practically hear a pin drop in the huge stadium.</p><p>Her set packs an emotional punch anyway, and it doesn't take much to tip Eloise and Harry over the edge.</p><p>She dedicates Rumour Has It "...To my most beautiful friend, who deals with endless rumours with more class than I ever could".</p><p>I Miss You was written about heartbreak, but it takes on a whole new meaning that has Eloise fretting again that Harry coming was a mistake.</p><p>Eloise has always loved her rendition of Bob Dylan's Make Me Feel Your Love most of all, but when Harry, taken with the sentiment and the depth of his feelings for her, pulls her into his arms and croons lowly in her ear, she's completely overcome.</p><p>When Adele starts the rapturous encore with All I Ask, Eloise is floored at how one of her very favourite songs - one she knows inside out and back to front - can carry quite such a weightier meaning for her now. Its sentiment mirrors the whispered words and cautious admissions she and Harry have been sharing late into the night, about how precious life really is and what really matters in this bizarre, manufactured world of theirs.</p><p>She closes the show with the barn-storming Rolling in the Deep, but they slip out the box half way through to head backstage again.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>They're taken aback when they meet Adele coming off stage, totally inconsolable.</p><p>She's had the best part of three months vocal rest in advance of these Wembley shows, but it's not been enough.</p><p>You wouldn't know from how she just sounded on stage, but the tour has put her voice under phenomenal strain. She's given an immediate dose of steroids, but her throat doctor isn't hopeful. They'll make the final call in the morning, but it's looking like the show just can't go on. She's at risk of doing irreparable damage if she performs again. She absolutely would if she could, but she's got nothing left to give.</p><p>She's devastated at the prospect of letting anyone down. But with an incredible one hundred and twenty one shows under her belt on this tour, absolutely no one can accuse her of that.</p><p>But with just two more shows left, it's a bitter pill to swallow.</p><p>Eloise tries her very best to console her, locking eyes with Harry as she sobs hoarsely into her neck. "They'll understand. They love you. But health is more important. Always".</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Part H</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>*A/N: Trigger warning for a female health issue... It's relatively niche but could be upsetting for some. I'm keen to avoid spoilers, but please feel free to message me if you'd prefer more info before reading.</p><p> </p><p>2nd July 2017</p><p>Harry and Eloise have been adjusting to a new normal, but feeling closer than ever.</p><p>After a spur of the moment decision, in need of a change of scenery, Anne and Gemma arrived in Hampstead yesterday to stay through the weekend.</p><p>Michal drove over from their flat to join their lovely long walk, deep into the Heath, for a picnic yesterday afternoon, but left earlier this morning to play football.</p><p>After a slow start, they're gathered in the kitchen, chatting with the radio on in the background.</p><p>Harry has been rapping his mum playfully over the knuckles each time she tries to lift a finger or interfere with his dutiful work, prepping for a Sunday roast.</p><p>"Don't make me throw you out of my kitchen!", he warns sassily. "If you insist on making yourself helpful, why don't you grab a bottle of red from the top shelf in the wine cellar?".</p><p>&gt;</p><p>When Anne quickly returns, placing two bottles on the marble island, he raises an eyebrow at her.</p><p>"What? It looks good... And it's after twelve!", she shrugs with a grin, stepping to his bar cabinet to fetch the corkscrew and wine glasses.</p><p>She stretches and wiggles her fingertips but can't quite reach them off their high shelf.</p><p>With a dejected huff she nudges her hip playfully into Eloise's, where she stands leaning back against the counter, staring distractedly through the patio doors into the garden.</p><p>"Hmm? Sorry", she snaps out of it and turns to her.</p><p>Seeing Anne nod up to the shelf with a sheepish grin, she smiles and pivots, shuffling closer.</p><p>Eloise's extra few inches make the difference and she successfully wraps her fingers around the base of one of the delicate stems. Stretching up on to her tip toes, she suddenly gasps.</p><p>In a flash, the fine crystal glass slips from her grasp and she fumbles, trying to avoid it hitting the marble work top.</p><p>But she's too slow and the thin stem, sheered off jaggedly near the base, ricochets and catches the side of her palm.</p><p>As Anne cries out in shock and flinches away, Eloise's sharp hiss pierces through the noise of the delicate crystal smashing.</p><p>It cuts Harry's laughter-laden shout of "Oh, for fuck's sake!" short, and he drops his knife with a clatter to dash over to her.</p><p>Grasping her left arm at the elbow, he tugs her back from the broken glass and leads her over to the sink, "Quick, let me see...".</p><p>Reaching to turn on the cold tap, he's close enough to hear the deliberately slow and shaky breath she blows out through pursed lips.</p><p>Cutting his eyes to her, he sees she's wincing with her eyes screwed shut. Knowing she's not squeamish about blood, he scans lower and notices her unusually hunched posture, leaning forward slightly with her right arm held tightly against her hip.</p><p>"Shit, baby...", he feels her flinch as he presses a large warm hand to the small of her back. "Still bothering you?", he whispers lowly in her ear as he rinses off her hand and peers closer to check for any shards of glass.</p><p>At her silent nod, he addresses the others as he wraps her palm loosely with a paper towel. "It's a clean slice but I'm going to find something upstairs to dress it. Can one of you just put the beef in when the oven beeps?". He tugs her gently towards the stairs, "Come on, clumsy".</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Eloise stands hunched over the sink in their ensuite bathroom, arms braced against the counter.</p><p>Harry squats on his haunches below her, rummaging through the back of the cupboard.</p><p>"Ah, ha!", he pops back up to his full height, triumphantly wielding a first aid kit.</p><p>He sets aside antiseptic wipes, a little pack of butterfly closures and a rectangular adhesive dressing, before turning to straighten her up, guiding her hand under the spotlight to see better.</p><p>As she hisses again at the movement, he gets to work whilst fishing for answers. "How are you feeling, really?"</p><p>"Hmm... Still not brilliant", she admits lowly. "Pretty shattered; I tossed and turned all night".</p><p>"I know".</p><p>"Shit, sorry".</p><p>"Don't be. Just go back to bed", he says, simply enough.</p><p>"No way! That would be so rude", she shakes her head, horrified at the thought of burrowing back under the duvet with guests downstairs. "And what about lunch?".</p><p>"The beef needs at least two hours", he shrugs. "Do it. Sleep is always the best medicine".</p><p>Once he's finished tending to her hand, he takes matters into his own and guides her towards the bed.</p><p>Pulling his hoodie over her head, he stretches the sleeve gently over the dressing on her hand.</p><p>Lifting the corner of the duvet for her, he frowns when she lets out a whimper as she twists to lie down. Bending down, he drops a kiss to her forehead as he tucks her in. "Rest up, baby".</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Harry returns a couple of hours later, before serving lunch, to check in on her, with a glass of water and painkillers in one hand, and a hot water bottle tucked under his arm.</p><p>He finds her fast asleep, curled into a ball around his pillow, looking a bit sweaty and dishevelled with the duvet tangled around her.</p><p>Dropping his wares on the bedside table, he reaches to brush some hair from her face. But, feeling the heat emanating from her, drops his palm to her forehead.</p><p>"Shit". She's too warm, but looks oddly pale rather than flushed.</p><p>Quickly grabbing a cool wash cloth from the bathroom, he dabs her brow and tugs the duvet lower.</p><p>Stroking his hand from the top of her head down to cup her cheek, she reflexively nuzzles into the relative cool of his palm, but doesn't stir.</p><p>He realises she must have been feeling worse than she let on. He's never seen her properly unwell, other than colds or hangovers, and doesn't like it.</p><p>With a final worried look, he heads back downstairs, where he palms off the rest of the glass of red wine he'd been nursing on to his mum.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>A short while later, Eloise wakes up to a stabbing pain, feeling disorientated.</p><p>It takes her breath away; she's never felt anything like it. This can't just be cramps.</p><p>Steeling herself, she pulls up from her foetal position with a wail, abdomen protesting violently as she twists.</p><p>Once the wave of nausea passes and she tries to straighten up, the pain only intensifies and she knows something's very wrong.</p><p>She's scared, and in so much pain that she can't call out for Harry. With no idea where her phone is, she grits her teeth, hauls herself up and staggers down the hall, holding her breath against the white hot pain.</p><p>It overcomes her as she teeters dizzily near the top of the stairs, vision blurring.</p><p>She fuzzily hears Gemma shout her name and vaguely hears chairs push back and hurried footsteps pound on the wooden floor below.</p><p>But hunching over at another wave of pain, even more intense than before, shifts her balance and she feels herself starting to fall forward with a shaky gasp before her field of vision narrows and fades.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Horrified, and feeling as if he's moving in slow motion, Harry flies around the dining table and hurls himself up the stairs to get to her as fast as possible.</p><p>They collide with a smack as he breaks her fall halfway down.</p><p>In their tangled limbs he realises she's a dead weight, passed out.</p><p>His panic sets in as he carefully scoops her up and carries her to the bottom of the stairs, calling frantically for help. "Mum? Quick, please help".</p><p>They crowd around her, kneeling close.</p><p>Anne taps her cheeks and mops her brow. "El? Eloise? Darling, can you hear me?".</p><p>Harry runs his hands lightly over her arms and legs, quickly checking for any obvious damage from her tumble. "Baby? Wake up... I need you to talk to me", he says frantically, feeling desperate.</p><p>When his knee barely touches her side as he stretches to reach down her legging-clad shins, they all jump back in alarm as she suddenly comes to with a wail, whimpering and immediately rolling on to her side.</p><p>Wrapping herself around Harry's thighs, her arms protectively cradle her abdomen as she tucks up her long legs to crunch tightly into a ball. Her only outwardly visible movement is the frantic flexing and curling of her toes.</p><p>Terrified and half fearing broken ribs projecting through her skin, Harry gently eases the sweaty grey Packers t-shirt up, but everything looks normal, aside from her abdominal muscles visibly tensing, as if in spasm.</p><p>"Something's really wrong...", she grits out quietly around her clenched jaw. She's white as a sheet and shaking with the pain.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Despite his own mounting panic, Harry hunches over her and desperately tries to calm her down, cooing lowly, "It's okay. You're okay. You'll be okay... Try to take deeper breaths, baby, okay?".</p><p>Gemma grapples for her phone, putting it on speaker before handing it down to Anne to hold as the operator starts asking questions.</p><p>"999. What's your emergency?".</p><p>Unable to talk, through teeth gritted in pain, Eloise looks up at Harry pleadingly and he answers for her. "Ambulance".</p><p>There's a beep as the line transfers.</p><p>"Hello, you're through to the  Ambulance Service. With whom am I speaking?".</p><p>"My name's Harry".</p><p>"And who is the patient?".</p><p>"Eloise, my girlfriend. She's in too much pain to talk... Please, send help".</p><p>"Okay. Can you give me her full name please?".</p><p>"Eloise Cadogan. Do you need middle names?".</p><p>"Just her date of birth".</p><p>"18th of June, '93".</p><p>"Right, okay, tell me... Where is the pain?".</p><p>"Her abdomen".</p><p>"Whereabouts?".</p><p>Harry looks down as she gestures loosely. "Low down". He tilts his head, as if orientating himself, to add "...Err, on her right".</p><p>"Has she ever had appendicitis?".</p><p>"No".</p><p>"Is she hot? Sweating? Dizzy?".</p><p>"Yes, all three. She just fainted and fell down the stairs-".</p><p>"Alright, okay...", the operator cuts him off. "Can you confirm your location for me, please?".</p><p>He rattles off the address, cutting worried eyes to his mum.</p><p>"Right, Harry, did she hit her head or hurt her neck or anywhere else on the stairs?".</p><p>Looking back down, he sees her shaking her head, and confirms "No". After blowing out a shaky breath, he adds "Shit! I didn't even think of that, just scooped her up in a panic...", shaking his head.</p><p>"Harry? Stay with me, okay? You're doing well... I know you're worried, but an ambulance is on its way".</p><p>When Eloise looks up at him, shaky and ashen faced, he begs, "Please hurry".</p><p>"They'll be with you soon. Now, just a few more questions for you, alright?".</p><p>"How long has she been in pain?".</p><p>"She was uncomfortable last night, but said she'd had cramps for a day or two... She's been quiet this morning but I didn't know it was this bad... She went back up to bed, so it's got suddenly worse in the last couple of hours at most".</p><p>"And you're sure about her appendix?".</p><p>"Yes. She doesn't have a scar".</p><p>"Has she had any symptoms like this before?".</p><p>He looks down again. "No. She's shaking her head, 'no'".</p><p>"And could she be pregnant? When was her last period?".</p><p>Harry's eyes are already locked on hers but they widen and he visibly gulps as she pales further and squeezes her eyes shut.</p><p>He refocuses on the question. "Umm... Three, four weeks ago? And, no. Well, I don't think so... I don't think she is. But, err, maybe, I guess?", he stutters, cutting his wide eyes back to his mum.</p><p>"Alright, I need you to ask Eloise if she's had any bleeding".</p><p>"Um, babe?", he squeezes her hand gently. "I'm not sure she's still awake... Oh, no, she shook her head 'no'".</p><p>Eloise tightens her grip on his hand as she lets out a whimper.</p><p>"Right, so the ambulance will be with you in just a minute, and they'll give her something for the pain... I'm also sending a doctor to check her over. He's five minutes away... Just hold her hand and hold on, okay? I'll stay on the line in case you need me. Just let me know if anything changes".</p><p>With a shaky kiss to both their foreheads, Anne stands to open the gate and doors, whilst Gemma runs upstairs to shove some things in a bag for Eloise.</p><p>Harry strokes her face, bending to drop a shaky kiss to her hairline and coo soothingly in her ear.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>He sits back up when Anne ushers two paramedics through; a burly northern guy and an older woman.</p><p>They cast surprised looks at each other when they recognise Harry, but get straight to it.</p><p>The woman kneels by Eloise, opposite Harry, whilst the guy starts sorting their kit behind her.</p><p>Anne steps back to loiter worriedly by the stairs, looking on nervously. Gemma soon joins her.</p><p>"Oh, dear. Eloise, is it?", the female paramedic says softly, reaching to pat her arm. "Love, I know it hurts... But I need you to roll on to your back for me, okay?".</p><p>With shaking hands, Harry helps nudge her over. With her mouth frozen open in a grimace, eyes clamped shut, and tears leaking down the sides of her face, he hates every second of it.</p><p>As they start going over the same questions, he feels helpless. "Please", he begs, "You need to give her something for the pain".</p><p>"We just need to know what we're dealing with...", she explains gently. "My colleague is going to prepare to administer some morphine. It will only take a minute to kick in, okay?".</p><p>"Harry, can you tell me Eloise's height and weight please?", the male paramedic asks, consulting a chart.</p><p>"She's 5'9", and, umm, about nine and a half stone, give or take".</p><p>He nods, double checking the dose before flicking the needle and injecting it into her arm. Distracted by her fierce pain, she doesn't even flinch.</p><p>"Eloise? You're not going to like this, but I need to feel your abdomen, okay?", the female paramedic warns, sounding regretful already. "And I'm going to need you to try to take deeper breaths... Listen to Harry's, okay? We don't want you hyperventilating".</p><p>Eloise squeezes Harry's hand as the paramedic tugs her t-shirt up and tucks it under the band of her bra. She starts prodding her stomach gently, starting from the top.</p><p>Seeing her fearful eyes widen and lock on his as she tightens her grip on his hand again, he leans down over her, breathing slowly and deeply for her to copy, cooing words of reassurance in her ear.</p><p>As the paramedic's fingers move lower, circling and pressing, Eloise cries out, biting her lip.</p><p>Gasping, she almost head-butts Harry as she reflexively crunches in on herself; white-hot pain shooting through her as she buries her head against his thigh again, whimpering.</p><p>The doctor arrives amidst the commotion.</p><p>Seeing the paramedic's look of relief, and Eloise's eyes start rolling, whether through pain or the morphine kicking in, has Harry's stress levels through the roof.</p><p>The doctor rattles through the same questions faster, whilst braving a prod at a more lucid Eloise's abdomen before unpacking a little portable scanner.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>"Okay... I don't like this much. Eloise?", the doctor leans closer and shakes her shoulder. "Eloise...? Right, she's out", he sighs.</p><p>He addresses Harry instead. "I can't see exactly where it's from on this, but there's definitely some significant inflammation... We need to take her in. There's a high probability she'll need surgery to work out what's going on and fix it quickly to avoid risk of rupture", he explains. "I'll leave my bike here, if that's okay? And go with her in the ambulance to hand over faster at the Royal Free Hospital".</p><p>"So, Harry, you're her boyfriend, right?". Seeing his nod, he continues, "I'll need you to follow to sign some consent forms for her, but do call her family. Are you okay to drive?", he asks, reaching a hand over to squeeze his shoulder, worried by his ashen face and features crumpling with worry.</p><p>"I am", Gemma says, reaching down to pick up the bag she'd hastily packed.</p><p>When Harry gets slowly, stiffly to his feet, to give them room for the stretcher, Anne steps forward and wraps her arms tightly around him. They both watch on in shock at seeing her so limp and helpless. She looks tiny, somehow.</p><p>"Wait, can I just-?", Harry steps toward the stretcher, lifting a shaky hand to the crown of her head as he kisses her forehead. "I'll be right behind you... I love you, so much".</p><p>There's a beat of shocked silence once the paramedics wheel her through the door and the doctor follows, already on the radio to the hospital.</p><p>"Oh, God! Mum, oh, my God...", Harry says tearily to Anne, reaching for her.</p><p>She rubs her hands vigorously up and down his arms. It's comforting and rousing, all at once. "Come on... She needs you. Get your things, quick".</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Gemma pulls the car out the gate and spots a couple of paparazzi a little way down the road, lenses aimed at them and the ambulance.</p><p>"Fucking scavengers", she spits out as Harry dives into the back seat while Anne shuts the gate.</p><p>She hops in the front passenger seat as the ambulance's lights start flashing.</p><p>They all jump in shock when the siren bleats as it pulls off.</p><p>That it continues blaring sets them all even further on edge.</p><p>Following the ambulance closely, and with the roads quiet on a Sunday afternoon, Gemma gets them there in just over five minutes.</p><p>With his eyes locked intently on the ambulance in front of them, Harry doesn't utter a word the whole way. Beside himself with worry, he barely even blinks.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Part I</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>*Trigger warning for a female health issue... It's relatively niche but could be upsetting for some. I'm trying to avoid spoilers, but feel free to message me if you'd prefer more info before reading.</p><p> </p><p>2nd July 2017 (continued)</p><p>Harry sits nervously as they wait for news from the reception desk, oblivious to the other patrons in Accident &amp; Emergency.</p><p>Staring fixedly through the tempered glass of the double doors to the ward, he hopes in vain to catch a glimpse of her.</p><p>It's not massively crowded on a Sunday afternoon, but he doesn't notice when Gemma subtly intervenes to tell a couple of teenage girls to give him some space and not approach him. She's as polite as she can manage, but reminds the girls in no uncertain terms that he's entitled to at least some privacy.</p><p>When he spots the two familiar paramedics walk through reception, he jumps to his feet, eager for any news; but they tell him to sit tight whilst she's still being assessed. He's dejected but thanks them again for all their help.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>A while later, when the doctor from earlier finally emerges, Harry's on his feet before he's even spotted them.</p><p>Ushering them straight through the double doors and upstairs, he informs them she's been admitted to the Acute Medicine department.</p><p>He shows Anne and Gemma to an empty waiting room before leading Harry through the ward, to Eloise's room.</p><p>It's less crowded and lacks the frenetic energy of A&amp;E, but there's still a tense and hurried atmosphere. It's unsettling.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>There are two consultants in white lab coats standing in the back corner, with their heads bowed, conferring over some notes.</p><p>A couple of nurses hover around Eloise on the either side of the bed. One takes another set of bloods, the other is hooking up an IV drip.</p><p>Harry rushes straight to her bedside, leaning over her to see she's awake, but her eyes seem unfocused. Carefully gathering her un-bandaged hand in his and squeezing it gently, he strokes his other over the crown of her head as he bends to drop a kiss to her forehead. "I'm here, baby".</p><p>"She's in and out; the morphine's hit her pretty hard", the doctor explains gently, before clearing his throat. "We need to update you, Harry, and talk about some decisions that need to be taken... Did you speak to her family?".</p><p>He nods, "Her Dad's on his way, but will be at least an hour or so".</p><p>There's a pause as the doctor frowns and casts his eyes to the others at the back of the room.</p><p>"Oh, God...", Harry looks between them, fretfully. "Please, tell me what's going on?", he begs.</p><p>"Have you been together long? I mean, is it serious?", the doctor checks quietly, not meaning to pry.</p><p>"Yes, very, and has been for two years now. Please, just tell me", Harry implores urgently.</p><p>"Okay...", the doctor steps to the end of the bed and picks up her notes, thumbing through them. "So we've run some tests. She's tall, but with a short torso, so her measurements are a little off, making it harder to identify the exact source of the problem. There's a lot of inflammation and the initial scans aren't crystal clear. But, given the location and the level of pain she was in, we feel we need to move faster than waiting for a full suite of imaging would allow". He explains calmly and clearly, but with a clear sense of urgency.</p><p>Harry's grip on his every word is almost as tight as his hold on Eloise's hand.</p><p>The doctor continues, gesturing to the others. "This is Professor Matthews, from our gastroenterology department... And this is Doctor Lewis, from gynaecology. We've been conferring. We've already ruled out a hernia, and now think it's probably not acute appendicitis. We're awaiting the results of the blood test to rule out anything more sinister... But there is a chance it could be an ectopic pregnancy, Harry".</p><p>"She's p-, pregnant?", Harry whips his head up, looking aghast.</p><p>Doctor Lewis speaks up, stepping closer. "We'll know for sure soon, but an ectopic pregnancy is when a fertilised egg implants outside of the womb, usually in one of the Fallopian tubes... Are you okay? Do you need to sit down?", she checks, eyeing him carefully.</p><p>He ignores her, but braces an arm stiffly against Eloise's bed, casting his eyes down to her and drifting over her small frame. "What would that mean? For Eloise? For the... B-, baby?", his voice cracks.</p><p>"It's not good, I'm afraid", Doctor Lewis says sympathetically. "An embryo implanted in a tube cannot develop healthily into a baby. It's better not to think of it that way", she shakes her head gently. "Depending on the timeframe, there's risk of the Fallopian tube rupturing which would cause significant internal bleeding. Given the acute pain she was experiencing, I'd recommend we get her to surgery straight away. We'd do a laparoscopy - keyhole surgery - to investigate. If it is an ectopic pregnancy and the tube has ruptured or is at risk, it may need to be removed entirely. If so, we could need to make a larger incision to repair the damage".</p><p>Harry tries really hard to quell his mounting panic to take in everything she's saying, nodding along intently.</p><p>"And what does it mean for her, longer term?", he tugs nervously at his lower lip.</p><p>"She'd be in for a few days. Then it's usually six weeks recovery time. But beyond that? After an ectopic pregnancy, most women seem to have a slightly heightened risk of another; about up to a ten percent chance or so. But if her other tube is healthy, she shouldn't have trouble falling pregnant or then carrying to term", Doctor Lewis explains carefully, trying to put him at ease.</p><p>"If we wait for the scans, we'll know exactly what we're up against and can determine the best treatment plan once we have a formal diagnosis. That's arguably safer, but significantly riskier in the short term, given the threat of rupture". She pauses, checking Harry's still with her.</p><p>He looks stressed and overwhelmed, but is attentively hanging on her every word.</p><p>She continues, "Alternatively, we can head straight to surgery now, and look to diagnose on the operating table. There's a risk it could be something unexpected and unplanned for, but it gives us a better chance of avoiding a rupture, or at least dealing with it sooner".</p><p>Seeing the weight of the decision he needs to make physically settle on Harry's stooping shoulders, the doctor from the house steps in again, trying to put it as simply as possible for him.</p><p>"We need you to sign consent forms for her surgery and general anaesthetic, Harry. The sooner we get in there, the better chance we have of avoiding rupture - which is the most immediate risk she's facing right now - and the faster we can get her out of pain".</p><p>Harry leans over her again, stroking her cheek. "El, ba-", he catches himself. "El, can you hear me?".</p><p>She whimpers lowly and rolls her head towards his, but hazily, with eyelids heavy. He leans his forehead against hers and sighs.</p><p>With a deep breath, he makes his decision and prays for the best.</p><p>"I'll sign... Please, go ahead now. Do whatever you need to do to keep her safe... She's my everything", he eyes them intently, needing to ensure they understand.</p><p>"She's in safe hands. We'll both scrub in and be on hand either way. It should take an hour or two", Doctor Lewis explains as a nurse comes back in and hands over the lab results.</p><p>She studies them, flicking between pages. "Hmm, hCg but at quite a low level... That's relatively inconclusive, but could indicate an early pregnancy". She addresses the nurse, "Please chase up the full ultrasound whilst we wait for the anaesthetist".</p><p>&gt;</p><p>The nurse, Helen, pats Harry's back and pulls a chair alongside Eloise's bed for him. "You look at her like she hung the moon", she smiles softly.</p><p>Dropping heavily into the chair, suddenly feeling exhausted, his soft chuckle turns into a pained sob as his brain catches up with everything he's just been told. It dawns on him what he could lose; what they could have already been denied.</p><p>He gathers Eloise's hand in his and rests his head on their joined hands, praying she'll be okay.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Hearing a murmuring from across the room, he takes a deep breath and gathers himself, wiping at his cheeks and clearing his throat.</p><p>He can't help but stare, feeling equally terrified and grief-stricken, as Doctor Lewis confers with the sonographer setting up the ultrasound machine.</p><p>This isn't how he envisaged this moment for them.</p><p>Eloise would have told him excitedly. They'd have eagerly looked forward to the appointment. Then nervously awaited her name to be called; Mrs Eloise Styles. They'd grasp sweaty hands as they wait to lay eyes on their tiny baby for the first time; holding their breaths until they'd hear the whooshing of the heartbeat. And, who knows, perhaps one of them would have struggled to make out anything at all; just like Ross and Rachel.</p><p>Anything but Eloise lying prone and unknowing in a hospital bed, totally out of it on morphine.</p><p>He didn't realise until now that he had envisaged anything about it at all.</p><p>Swallowing the lump in his throat, he looks around the room, anywhere but at the ultrasound, trying to distract himself.</p><p>The other nurse returns with some paperwork, which the doctors review before handing it to him with a pen.</p><p>They're the shakiest signatures Harry has ever signed; but certainly the most important.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>The doctor from the house squeezes Harry's shoulder as he eyes them preparing her for surgery. </p><p>He finds it excruciating to watch the nurses strip her off and lay her bare, handling her with sparing efficiency.</p><p>He blanches, seeing them bend her legs up and lay a tray at the other end of the bed.</p><p>"What are you-?", he gulps.</p><p>"Just a catheter; standard for this kind of surgery", the nurse explains gently.</p><p>He can't help but wince.</p><p>Eloise looks tiny in the big hospital bed, with a baggy gown now draped over her, but rolled up to her chest with just a flimsy piece of cloth draped low over her hips.</p><p>Doctor Lewis marks up her abdomen with a purple marker.</p><p>This is all feels so wrong. This body is hers, for him alone. And he's the one marked with ink, not her.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>The anaesthetist arrives and looks over Eloise.</p><p>Checking her notes carefully, he needs to factor her reaction to the morphine into his calculations.</p><p>When he confirms he's ready for her to head down to surgery, Harry leans over her and kisses her forehead again. "I love you, Eloise, so much. I'll be waiting for you to wake up", he vows solemnly.</p><p>Shooting another quick prayer to anyone that might listen, he hangs his head for a beat as she's wheeled from the room, before following them swiftly down the hall.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Waiting anxiously by the open door of the waiting room, Anne and Gemma worry when they clock her bed coming around the corner, surrounded by doctors and nurses. They frantically search for Harry in the procession, desperate for answers.</p><p>The doctor from the house guides him to the waiting room door and turns to face him.</p><p>"She's in the best hands, really. But it's a good thing you called for help when you did", he squeezes his shoulder again. "I'll check in again later to see how she's doing, but I need to get my motorbike and get back out on duty... I'll be sure to tell the paparazzi to piss off if they're still at your house", he grimaces.</p><p>It's the first time Harry's had any acknowledgement that anyone has recognised him, and he's so grateful for the lack of fuss. He's so strung out with worry, he's not sure how he'd react if someone bothered him for an autograph right now.</p><p>He shakes the doctor's hand and thanks him profusely for everything before he strides off down the hall in the opposite direction.</p><p>Anne can't bear it. "H? Darling, what's going on? What's wrong?", she asks, pulling him into the empty waiting room.</p><p>He takes a deep, fortifying breath, but then promptly bursts into tears, with wretched sobs soon wracking his tense frame.</p><p>Anne pulls his head into her neck, whilst Gemma holds his hand and rubs his back.</p><p>It's a minute or two before he pulls himself together and sits down to tell them as much as he can remember.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>A hour later, having clock-watched all the while, Harry sits slumped in a hard plastic chair. His attention is on swirling the terrible, scalding coffee in his thin plastic cup; knees already jigging up and down with nervous energy.</p><p>His head snaps up when the door opens and her Dad and Ollie come barrelling in, swooping them all into worried hugs.</p><p>They are all still hushedly rehashing what they already know, when a knock on the door interrupts them half an hour later.</p><p>Doctor Lewis pops her head in. "Well, you have to be Eloise's brother!", she says to Ollie after a double take at their resemblance, smiling softly, "And Dad?".</p><p>Stepping fully inside, she introduces herself, shaking their hands.</p><p>"Is she alright? How did it go?", Harry blurts, unable to bear waiting even a second longer for news.</p><p>"As well as we could have hoped", she smiles gently, taking in the relief washing over their faces. "She's in Recovery and asking for you, Harry...  Apparently she's a little spacey from the drugs still, but I can update you both together, come on".</p><p>He breathes out a shaky sigh of relief and hugs them quickly again, taking a deep breath as he hurries to follow her out the door.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Pausing in the doorway to the otherwise empty Recovery ward, Harry casts his eyes over her in the bed by the window.</p><p>Eloise speaks quietly with a nurse, wincing as she tries to prop herself further up on her pillows.</p><p>He pushes off the door frame and rushes to her side to help.</p><p>She looks a bit dazed and dishevelled, but is a much better colour than when he last saw her.</p><p>Her eyes, still a little hazy, but more alert and a brighter blue again, lock on his from a few strides away. They start welling up as she reaches her arms up, wincing again, but desperate to hug him.</p><p>He hears her sob as she buries her head in his neck. "El, thank God! Oh, I love you, so, so much".</p><p>"Eloise? I'm Doctor Lewis", she interrupts after a minute, reaching forward and shaking her hand gently, avoiding her cannula. She gestures for Harry to perch on the edge of her bed.</p><p>"You gave us quite the scare there. How are you feeling? How much do you remember?".</p><p>"I'm okay... I think? A bit woozy", Eloise says quietly, clearing her throat. She speaks slowly, the words slurring together slightly. "I'm not sure, really... I remember being at the stairs, and the pain. Then it all gets a bit blurry.... I remember the sirens. And you stroking my hair", she looks up at Harry, squeezing his hand in gratitude.</p><p>"And how's the pain now?".</p><p>"I can't feel a thing", she frowns. "I just feel weirdly numb... Is that normal?".</p><p>"Yes, don't worry. You had a bit of a reaction to the morphine, but the general anaesthetic will wear off completely soon enough... May I?", she gestures.</p><p>Doctor Lewis pushes the blanket down and lifts her gown up to reveal three small rectangular white dressings taped over Eloise's abdomen; one over her navel, one just above her pubic bone, and one over towards her right hip bone. There's faint staining on the surrounding skin from purple pen marks and brown swabs of iodine.</p><p>She snaps on some gloves and gently presses her fingers over the skin around the lowest dressing. "Can you feel that?".</p><p>"No, not at all... That's weird", Eloise frowns, staring curiously, seeing the press of her fingers but not feeling it.</p><p>She cuts her eyes back up to the Doctor, clearing her throat. "What-, what was wrong?", she asks, gently fidgeting with the bottom corner of the dressing above her hip bone.</p><p>"Well, we weren't entirely certain if it was your appendix or an ectopic pregnancy... Do you know what that is, Eloise?".</p><p>She sucks in a ragged breath and nods mutely, eyes cutting from the doctor's to Harry's as he squeezes her hand and takes a deep breath of his own.</p><p>"It was the latter, I'm sorry to say... But we got in just in time, before the Fallopian tube could rupture. You were lucky; I didn't have to remove it and the incisions were neat, so I'm hopeful any scarring in there will be minimal".</p><p>Harry watches her reaction closely. Her fingers squeeze his hand back as a sob escapes from the back of her throat when she opens her mouth to ask a question.</p><p>She tries again. "What about, umm, the err...", she clears her throat, "The baby?". Her voice cracks, even in a whisper, as her welling tears finally spill.</p><p>"I'm afraid not", Doctor Lewis shakes her head gently, frowning with compassion. "A fertilised egg isn't able to develop properly outside the womb. From the size I'd guess around just five weeks or so... Did you have any symptoms?".</p><p>Harry catches the set of her jaw, swallowing thickly. When he feels her fingers go limp in his hand, he quickly squeezes again, reminding her he's here, with her in all this.</p><p>Eloise clears her throat again, shaking her head, "No, none". She wipes her cheeks with her free hand. "I was due my period and thought it was just bad cramps... But the pain, God". She shudders in recollection.</p><p>"Well, I'm very glad you're doing okay. Paula here...", she nods to the nurse, "Will keep an eye on you for the next hour or so, and then we'll move you to a private room. We can chat again then, and I'll answer any questions you might have once it's sunk in", she reaches over again and squeezes her hand, before turning to address Harry. "Do you want to stay here? I can update the guys in the waiting room".</p><p>"Yes, please", he nods, relieved not to have to leave her again quite so soon.</p><p>"Sure thing. Keep an eye on her for me", she grins softly.</p><p>"Oh, I will", he smiles back.</p><p>"I don't doubt it... You've got a good one here, Eloise", she winks, conspiratorially.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Later, once their families have headed back to his house, Harry's nestled alongside Eloise in her bed, squeezed in on his side against the guard rail.</p><p>Her head rests against his chest whilst he rakes his hands through her hair, singing to her softly under his breath.</p><p>Worrying about her is helping distract him from his own feelings.</p><p>She'd been understandably quiet earlier, when everyone stopped by her room, desperate to see her; groggy and in mounting discomfort as the pain blockers wore off.</p><p>He had hoped, with some rest and some privacy, that she'd open up to him a little about how she's feeling once it was just the two of them. But when he tried to gently bring it up, she'd cut him off quickly and begged him to stop; to let her feel a little bit better first.</p><p>He'd felt guilty for pushing her and risking any more undue stress or upset, but he knows her; inside out. She compartmentalises like a pro, but can struggle with emotional reactions - veering from cool to fiery, without much middle ground.</p><p>But this has been huge. Shocking and upsetting and traumatic; it warrants, needs, a reaction. He'll have to keep a close eye on her, but he won't push it further for now; not today, not until she's feeling better.</p><p>It's nearing the end of visiting hours and she's barely able to keep her eyes open as it is.</p><p>He keeps telling himself 'five more minutes'. But he'll leave when he's thrown out, more likely.</p><p>Hearing knuckles rap lightly on the door to her private room, he looks up to see Helen, the nurse from earlier, and the doctor from the house, leaning against the frame.</p><p>He beckons them in with a tilt of his head, smiling guiltily as they trade grins at catching him in her bed.</p><p>"How's she doing?", the doctor whispers as they step closer.</p><p>Stirring at the unfamiliar voice, Eloise winces as she twists slightly to look over at them.</p><p>"This is Helen and - God, sorry, I never even got your name!", Harry cringes.</p><p>"Pete. Doctor Peter Thompson", he steps up to shake both their hands.</p><p>"How are you feeling, Eloise?", Helen says from the bottom of the bed.</p><p>"A bit like I've been hit by a bus, now the drugs are wearing off...", she grits lowly. "They said I probably pulled some muscles in my abs, ribs and back too", she winces softly as she tries to twist to look them both in the eye. "Thank you both, for everything", she says, sincerely grateful.</p><p>"Was it okay, back at the house?" Harry asks Pete.</p><p>"There were still a couple... I don't know how you deal with them", he shakes his head ruefully.</p><p>"Shit, not paps?", Eloise gasps. "Oh God! What did they get?", she panics.</p><p>"Jeff's on the case, don't worry" Harry reassures her, rubbing her thigh soothingly over the blanket.</p><p>They're interrupted when another nurse pokes her head around the door. "Visiting hours are up, I'm afraid", she frowns.</p><p>"Oh, I wish you didn't have to go", Eloise whines, burying her head into his chest.</p><p>"I'll be back in as soon as they let me, I promise" he says, dropping a kiss to the top of her head.</p><p>"You've got a good man here, honey" Helen smiles.</p><p>"Oh, I know!", Eloise beams, wrapping her arm back around Harry's waist and nuzzling into his neck, not quite ready to let him go just yet.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Later that night, back at his house, Harry stands leaning against the sink.</p><p>Gemma and Ollie have already headed up to bed, but his mum and Eloise's dad sit on the bar stools at the island unit, nursing the last of their cups of tea. </p><p>Staring through the glass patio doors out towards the darkened garden, Harry tugs at his lower lip, deep in thought.</p><p>What a day.</p><p>Catching Crispin eyeing him in the reflection in the glass, he takes a deep breath, squares his shoulders and turns back to face him.</p><p>Sighing deeply, he steps forward and leans over the island, resting his weight on his forearms. Drumming his fingers, splayed wide over the cool marble, he looks up, meeting Crispin's intense dark gaze - so like Ben's.</p><p>Even today, there's a soft smile tugging at the corner of his mouth; just like Eloise's. He looks at him like he knows he needs to say something, but doesn't rush him; instead lets him try to find the words.</p><p>"Oh, God, I'm sorry", Harry blurts out; not exactly at his most eloquent.</p><p>Clearing his throat awkwardly, he hangs his head for a beat, shaking it scathingly at himself. He takes a moment to give himself a talking to. Why's he being so awkward about this?</p><p>He just needs to find a way to apologise to him, for his role in what happened today. Inadvertently and unknowingly landing Eloise in excruciating pain, an ambulance and then emergency surgery. Accidentally getting his only daughter pregnant, at just twenty four. This lovely and charming man, who he respects so much. This commanding and intimidating former national rugby captain. Fuck.</p><p>"Whatever for?", Crispin asks softly, with a frown and a raised eyebrow.</p><p>"For what could have happened!", Harry says emphatically, feeling his stomach drop all over again, just at the very thought of it.</p><p>He pulls his hands back over the marble and straightens up, raking them raggedly over his face before dragging them up into his hair, tousling it more as he tugs at the roots.</p><p>Casting his eyes to Anne quickly, Crispin stands and steps towards him. "Harry-", he says gently.</p><p>But he cuts him off. "Don't-", he fends him off with one hand raised. "Please, let me just-, I have to...".</p><p>He quickly starts pacing, gesticulating wildly once he pulls his hands from his hair. "God, to think this morning started just like any other day...? But we could have lost her?", he swallows thickly. "I can't even begin to imagine a future without her... I don't want to. She means everything to me".</p><p>Harry stills his pacing, turning to face him. "Shit, it was terrifying... Seeing her on that hospital bed looking so small and helpless... I'm sorry. I, just-, I'm so sorry... I don't know how, or when, but it's just so unfair". He adds, brokenly, "I-..., That... That just wasn't how I envisaged our first ultrasound going, you know?".</p><p>Harry runs out of steam, looking up at Crispin agape when hears him chuckle softly.</p><p>It's by no means his full, boisterous laugh; but a definite snort of amusement.</p><p>What could possibly be funny right now?</p><p>Crispin steps closer and wraps a meaty hand around Harry's neck, pulling him in for a tight hug.</p><p>He chuckles again over his shoulder as he pats his back and pulls back. Holding him at arms length, he bends his knees slightly to look him straight in the eye.</p><p>"Just that is all I need to know, Harry", he says, smiling gently. "And, just know, it will be a happier experience for you both, one day".</p><p>Wait, what?</p><p>"You know, I wasn't always sure I'd ever get to have that chat?", Crispin chuckles again, rubbing at his own neck coyly.</p><p>Seeing Harry's utterly confused expression and quick glance to his mum, Crispin clues him in, leaning casually against the island.</p><p>"Lolly once told me she was terrified at the thought of being a mum. She was probably only seventeen or so, but she said she'd seen first-hand just how the four of them had run us, and particularly Elin, ragged... Ben was okay, for the most part, but a bit of a lad from fourteen. Lucas has always been a total nightmare! Ollie was easily influenced... And Eloise always had her fiery moments, but was broadly fine; well, until puberty hit her with a vengeance at fifteen. Then it wasn't so much her I had to worry about, so much as every boy in the South East", he smiles, grimacing comically.</p><p>Harry cuts in, appreciating the reassurance, but needing him to understand. He's also keen for an opportunity to redeem himself, at lease a little more eloquently.</p><p>"I know just how special she is. I do, I promise, I get it... But I have to apologise; for, well, for accidentally getting her pr-, pregnant". He pauses, wincing at the word. "But I can't help but feel devastated at what we've lost... At what we've unknowingly been denied", he trails off, staring glumly back down, tracing the swirling pattern in the light grey marble with the pads of his fingers.</p><p>"She loves kids, Harry. She will be a mum, one day. A great one... And she'd only want them with you", he slings an arm around Harry and squeezes his shoulder fondly, smiling brightly. "All in good time, H... But perhaps not too soon in the future, eh? You've both got pretty lofty dreams and grand plans...".</p><p>He smirks at Anne and she shakes her head in disbelief. "It's so easy to forget how young they both still are sometimes", she shakes her head in disbelief.</p><p>Addressing Harry, she continues. "Most of your close friends are older... And you both had to grow up so young. You've done and achieved so much and been to so many places already...", she smiles knowingly, her eyes sparkling as she sees Harry welling up.</p><p>As she slips off her stool and stands to wrap her arms around Harry from the other side, Crispin cuts back in. "But all in good time, right?". He elbows him gently, "Some things are worth the wait, as you well know".</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Part J</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>*Trigger warning for references to that continued female health issue... I'm trying to avoid spoilers, and it will come as no surprise after 8.8 and 8.9, but it could be upsetting for some. Feel free to message me if you'd prefer more info before reading.</p><p> </p><p>3rd July 2017</p><p>Eloise's dad and brother had stayed at Harry's on the Sunday night, planning to head straight back to the hospital with him for morning visiting hours.</p><p>Crispin's an early riser, so when he heads down to the kitchen in search of coffee at 6.30am, he's surprised to find Harry seated at the island unit, already hard at it. Nursing the last of his black coffee, his phones and laptop are spread in front of him as he talks quietly into his headphones, scribbling down notes.</p><p>Engrossed in his conversation, Harry doesn't hear him approaching, and almost jumps out of his skin when a hand lands on his shoulder.</p><p>They share matching exclamations of "Oh, shit!". Harry's in surprise; Crispin's at clocking the article on his laptop screen.</p><p>It's against the front wall of the house, as a distraught Harry climbs into the back of his black Range Rover, pulled up in front of the gate. The ambulance is clearly seen in the background, with the doors open as the paramedics load the stretcher. TMZ's headline reads 'More heartbreak for Harry?'.</p><p>"Hang on a second, Jeff...". Harry pulls out a bar stool for Crispin in invitation as he tugs his earbuds out and pulls the jack out of his phone, putting it on speaker.</p><p>"Jeff, meet Crispin, Eloise's dad. This is my friend and manager, Jeff. He's been liaising with the publicists and lawyers from LA", Harry explains, by means of introduction. "We're almost done, sorry. There's coffee in the pot".</p><p>Nodding, Crispin gestures to the laptop. "Thank you. Are there more photos?", he asks lowly.</p><p>"Yeah, here take a look...", Harry slides it over to him. "They're not too bad, all things considered... But I'm still fuming", he shakes his head, tugging at his dishevelled hair again.</p><p>He eyes Crispin's reaction to the photos closely as he continues chatting with Jeff.</p><p>"Right, Jeff... You were talking about technicalities?".</p><p>"It's a stretch, but their proximity to your house and the un-blurred license plate angles might actually be enough to keep the more reputable media outlets from using them", Jeff supposes.</p><p>"Okay, it's worth a shot, I guess. Can you keep me updated with the list please? Especially if any big sites use them. Oh, and yes, to threatening embargoes. It's not about being secretive, but about morals. Or the absolute lack of them...", he scoffs. "And it's game over for TMZ, alright? They were obviously going to jump on those photos of El and push a nothing story. That's one thing; but the comments in the article about how my mum seems to be holding up? Not fucking okay either", he huffs a breath through his lips. "Alright, man, I think that was it, right? Everyone's going to be up soon, I should go. But thanks again for everything, and hope you get to sleep soon".</p><p>"No worries, H. I'll keep you updated. Give El our love, okay?".</p><p>When Harry hangs up, he twists to look at Crispin, pouring over the photos again. "She's not recognisable, is she? Or is that just my wishful thinking?".</p><p>He picks up his mug and sighs to find it empty. "Coffee?", he offers, standing up.</p><p>"Please", Crispin replies. "And no, she's not. The paramedics' legs and kit seem to have blocked any clear shots. You can see some blonde hair and tell it's a slim woman, but that's it... Although with you getting into the car, and in front of your house, it's not difficult to make the deduction, given all the rumours and all the times you've been seen together... But there are definitely no clues as to what she's being treated for". Crispin pushes the laptop away and angles the screen down, not needing the reminder of the state she was in.</p><p>He eyes Harry in profile as he stands at the stove in his lilac dressing gown. "I really am sorry that you have to put up with all this, Harry... Intrusive photos and calls at dawn about lawyers and media outlets? It's a lot to have to deal with".</p><p>"I'm sorry. It's a lot for her to have signed up for, in being with me", Harry frowns, passing him a mug of coffee.</p><p>"She had run-ins with paps even before she was with you, Harry. This is her world too and has been for a while now... But, yes, I suppose being with you did throw her in at the deep end, somewhat", he concedes.</p><p>"Yeah...", Harry scoffs, "But with a massive splash, like, after being shoved off the top of a ten meter diving board or something". He has to laugh.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>The paparazzi doggedly staked out Harry's house all day Sunday.</p><p>When they clocked he hadn't been driving either of the matching black Range Rovers that arrived back in convoy late in the afternoon, they'd stuck around, on a hunch.</p><p>They'd been rewarded when he retuned home alone by taxi in the early evening. He'd resolutely ignored them as he unlocked the side gate and quickly slipped through, making sure to slam it shut behind him for emphasis.</p><p>One pap was still outside the house when they left on Monday morning.</p><p>When Harry, Crispin and Ollie arrived at the hospital soon afterwards, they clocked the few loitering around the main doors in just enough time to split up and stagger their arrivals via different entrances.</p><p>Paps are notoriously territorial and protective of their leads, but after the photos had appeared online overnight, it can't have taken others long to put two and two together, and take a punt at his nearest hospital.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Harry had ensured to find a back entrance when he returned after lunch with his mum and sister.</p><p>As the ambulance photos gather traction on social media, the hashtag #prayforharry soon trends worldwide on Twitter, alongside some wild speculative gossip.</p><p>Their party line and mantra for the next few days, trying to shut it down, is a firm "Thanks for your concern and support, but it's private".</p><p>Harry has to temper his fury at the intrusion.</p><p>It's one thing when it's him; he signed up for this - even if he hadn't quite understood the enormity of it all at just sixteen.</p><p>But his family don't deserve it. Especially not after everything recently.</p><p>And Eloise, in that vulnerable state? It's too much.</p><p>That he manages to shield her from the extent of it reassures him that he must be a better actor than he first thought.</p><p>&gt;<br/>&gt;</p><p>4th July 2017</p><p>The last hopeful pap was still loitering at the hospital entrance this morning. The others had evidently succumbed to the boredom or moved on to the next story already.</p><p>Now, two days after Eloise's surgery, she was discharged earlier this afternoon.</p><p>After some wily subterfuge to get her out of the hospital unnoticed - via a kitchen loading bay, no less - Harry finally has her back home.</p><p>Fussing over her on the sofa, tucking blankets around her, he kneels and lifts a hand to her cheek. "What can I do? What else do you need?".</p><p>"Only you" she smiles softly, patting the space behind her head. "Thank you, H, for everything... But please, just relax". She turns her face to kiss his palm. "And remember, it's July", she sends him a cheeky look as she kicks the blankets off her legs.</p><p>Other than the pull of her stitches and strained muscles, she's pretty okay.</p><p>Physically, at least.</p><p>Aside from the three dressings on her abdomen, and the plasters on her bruised hands and forearms where various cannulas and drips had been, she also has a bandage on her bicep.</p><p>They'd replaced her contraceptive implant; swapping it for a brand that can apparently help to reduce the risk of ectopic complications and also avoid anaemia, which her blood work showed she's borderline been suffering from.</p><p>Intent on giving her a thorough once over, they'd even sewn a couple of stitches where the wine glass had sliced into her left palm.</p><p>He gently cradles her head as he slides on to the sofa. Laying it softly on his lap, he starts carding his fingers through her hair.</p><p>It's still damp from the shower - her first port of call when she made it home. Given all her dressings, he'd been even more attentive than when they usually share a shower cubicle.</p><p>Seeing her eyelids droop, he reaches for the remote and turns on the television for some background noise for her.</p><p>He grins softly at seeing her shift gently on to her side; with her back to the screen, she has no intention of even trying to stay awake.</p><p>Feeling her pucker her lips low against his torso and nuzzle her face into him, he just about melts.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>She stirs from her nap just an hour or so later.</p><p>As she mewls and gently burrows her head against his lap as she comes to, he puts his phone down and takes it all in, giving thanks that she's here, back where she belongs.</p><p>Despite everyone staying, the house felt entirely empty without her. He felt empty.</p><p>Beaming down at her as she peeks her brilliant blue eyes open against the bright afternoon light, she grins softly back as he helps her roll on to her back.</p><p>They just stare and smile unabashedly for a couple of minutes, twining their fingers.</p><p>"Happy Anniversary, El", he whispers, bending to drop a chaste kiss to her lips.</p><p>"Says you!", she smirks, alluding to his date for their anniversary. Hers isn't for another couple of months. "Happy Anniversary to you too. I love you", she adds, whispering against his lips.</p><p>After kissing her properly, he pulls back, stroking his thumb over her lower lip. "God, I love you too... So, so much".</p><p>They'd already spoken last week about keeping things low key and laying low. Wanting to avoid any undue attention, not least from paps, they'd agreed they'd just have a quiet meal in tonight.</p><p>But he feels the need to apologise. "I, umm, I'm afraid I've not had time to get you a present... Been a little preoccupied", he mumbles bashfully, rubbing his hand over his hair.</p><p>She waves it off with a flick of her wrist. "Same! I had it on good authority the hospital gift shop was shite, and figured you wouldn't particularly fancy an old Snickers bar from the vending machine?".</p><p>He snorts a laugh, mostly out of relief to see signs of her coming back to herself.</p><p>"I don't need anything but you", she pulls his hand from his hair and drops chaste little kisses all over it.</p><p>"And besides", she adds, "It's safe to say we definitely don't have a spare vase for any more flowers...", she looks pointedly at the coffee table, laden with bouquets. The island in the kitchen is much the same too.</p><p>He catches her possible hidden meaning. "We kept it super quiet, I promise, El. Only family and the closest inner circle know the truth. The rest is just speculative or left over from the last couple of weeks".</p><p>She squeezes his hand gratefully. They've had an eventual couple of years, but the last month has absolutely taken the biscuit.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Later that afternoon, Anne hears something whilst she's packing her bags in the guest room and goes to investigate.</p><p>Standing in the doorway to the master bedroom, she wells up seeing Eloise on the bed, shoulders jigging as she sobs.</p><p>Gesturing to Gemma in the other bedroom for her to get Harry from downstairs, Anne tip toes into their bedroom.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Having dashed worriedly up the stairs, Harry pauses in the doorway, trying to silently catch his breath.</p><p>Eloise is laying on her side, right at the edge of her side of the bed, facing the door to the ensuite.</p><p>Facing him, his mum kneels in front of her, bent close and whispering softly.</p><p>Their close bond is one of the things he's most grateful for; especially given her strained relationship with her own mum, who'd been in Sweden but still hasn't yet come to visit.</p><p>He eases carefully on to the bed, sliding over the duvet to nestle behind her. He presses close and wraps a cautious arm across her chest, avoiding her abdomen.</p><p>After dropping a kiss to her wet cheek, he rests the side of his face on top of hers, looking at his mum with glassy, worried eyes.</p><p>With her breath stuttering around her sobs, Eloise apologises repeatedly, despite their shushing. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry... I feel terrible; just another burden when you're already going through so much...".</p><p>Anne squeezes the hand she has resting on Eloise's arm, folded under her head.</p><p>In turn, Eloise drops her free hand on top of Anne's and squeezes back.</p><p>Harry lays his big paw on top of hers and interlaces their fingers, squeezing too.</p><p>They've got her; they've all got each other.</p><p>It's enough to make her sob again, bubbling deep from her throat. "I'm sorry... I don't know what's come over me?", she sniffs, blowing out a shaky breath. "I just keep imaging what ifs... What if things had been normal? When would we have found out? How would we have felt? Would-?", she chokes a sob again.</p><p>Harry squeezes her hand again as one pulls from him too.</p><p>"Those hormones are no joke, Eloise", Anne reassures her softly. "And, on top of that, you're dealing with grief and the shock of it, and all that residual physical pain... I'd say you're doing amazingly, love. Cut yourself some slack".</p><p>Eloise whimpers, "God, I'm so lucky to have you; all of you. This family...".</p><p>Feeling a tear drop from Harry's cheek on to hers, she slides her hand from under her head up into the back of his hair, raking soothingly across his scalp.</p><p>"Oh, you sweet girl", Anne pats her cheek. "I'll leave you two be. But, I will just say that you should talk about it... It wasn't planned and it ended too soon, but that doesn't mean it didn't happen".</p><p>Eyeing their matching nods and deep breaths, Anne braves it, hoping they'll benefit from a nudge. "Do you imagine it would have been a boy or a girl?", she prompts gently.</p><p>Eloise sucks in a shaky breath then eases slowly on to her back. She looks up at Harry, dropping her fingers to his jaw, where she scratches his stubble.</p><p>Seeing his glassy emerald eyes lock on hers, the corner of her mouth pulls into a tiny smile. "A mini you", she whispers. "All gorgeous green eyes and dimples, but with blonde curly hair".</p><p>He sobs again and offers a watery smile back, leaning his face into her hand, now cupping his cheek.</p><p>"What a gene pool!", Anne smiles wistfully. "Kind and smart and funny and talented and charismatic and beautiful... You'll have your chance, my loves - one day, when the time is right. You'll be the most wonderful parents, and make me the the proudest nanny one day".</p><p>When Eloise turns her head to look at her in surprise, Harry adds in a low rumble, "Your dad said the same thing, the other night".</p><p>Her eyes shift back to his in shock. She didn't know he'd had a heart to heart with him. They've got some catching up to do.</p><p>They both suck in shaky breaths.</p><p>"I'll be downstairs if you need me", Anne whispers, leaning forward to drop kisses to both their foreheads.</p><p>"Thank you, for everything", Eloise calls after her, quietly.</p><p>"Love you, mum", Harry adds.</p><p>Anne turns in the doorway, seeing Eloise wincingly turn to burrow into Harry's chest, hearing her echo "One day".</p><p>"One day, I promise. We'll have our time", he vows to her. "I love you, so much"</p><p>Heartbroken, but hopeful, and so in love.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>His heart breaks all over again when Mer visits later that night.</p><p>Ben's still in LA working, but she'd bumped a planned trip a few days earlier. Remembering his stern warnings from the night of the surprise party, Harry can't help but feel a little relieved as to which one of them he's facing first.</p><p>Until he lays eyes on her, that is.</p><p>Conscientiously, Mer tries to cover up, but Eloise won't have it.</p><p>Reaching over on the sofa, she rests a hand on Mer's neat little bump, evident on her petite frame. Now in her second trimester, she's just popped.</p><p>"Please, Mer, don't hide it", Eloise rubs her bump gently. "Now, tell me how you've been? I hope my niece or nephew has been behaving for mummy?".</p><p>Harry only just manages to leave the room in time before he loses it.</p><p>Maybe she's stronger than him?</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Neither girl mentioned it when he returned a while later, with a notably redder nose and eyes. Eloise just sidled up to him on the sofa, taking his hand and holding it tightly in her lap.</p><p>But Eloise is evidently just the better actor.</p><p>When they're finally alone, in bed, later that night, she breaks down almost as soon as he turns off his bedside light.</p><p>He reaches for her immediately.</p><p>"Oh, baby...", he coos.</p><p>He feels her flinch in his arms.</p><p>"Oh, H", she sobs. "Please. Don't call me 'baby' again. At least not for a while, okay, please?", she begs.</p><p>She doesn't want to hurt him, but she can't bear it. Not that, not right now.</p><p>"I'm so sorry, El... I'm trying not to, I really am. It just slipped out".</p><p>Hearing him sniffle too, she turns in his arm and burrows into his neck.</p><p>"One day?", she whispers.</p><p>"One day", he promises.</p><p> </p><p>A/N: Oof, these last few chapters have been heavy to write... But brighter days to come, I promise! Thanks for sticking with me... Xx</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Part K</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>6th July 2017</p><p>Four down, three to go. And that's just day one.</p><p>But he's already hit his stride. Despite everything, Harry's surprised to find himself feeling quite so at ease.</p><p>Sitting here alongside veterans of the stage and screen, imposter syndrome naturally comes a-knocking. Even with Fionn and the other first timers in the same boat, he understands why the journalists will only have preconceptions about him.</p><p>Accepting that, he'd prepped thoroughly, but, for the first time on this project, he feels like the veteran.</p><p>And rightly so; he's done thousands of interviews. Most with the boys, but a fair number alone now too.</p><p>He's always been good at reading people and intuitively knowing how to lay on the charm and put them at ease. Factor in all his training from the early days of the band, and the stark comparison with even his more experienced cast mates is making his media proficiency all the more apparent.</p><p>Dare he say he's actually having fun? He can tell he's impressing them and winning over the journalists too, and he's getting a kick out of it.</p><p>He's self-aware enough to appreciate that the sense of being in relative control of something once again feels good. He hadn't realised quite how much he'd been lacking that recently.</p><p>To avoid resting on his laurels, he employs another tactic he'd mastered in the band - one very much perfected during those long days at foreign press conferences. Tricking himself into micro bursts of hyper focus avoids his latent distraction surfacing and getting the better of him.</p><p>Giving the journalists his undivided attention, from the moment they say hello right up until they're ushered from the room, only helps with troweling on the charm.</p><p>His co-stars appreciate a good performance when they see one, and he can sense them appraising and watching him closely.</p><p>Having been like a sponge on set - desperate to absorb the experience, understand the process and learn from some of the best in the business - frankly, it feels refreshing to him for the shoe to finally be on the other foot with these guys.</p><p>Luckily for him, his ego's healthy enough to rebound straight back after a question from a fan with the handle 'Potato_Directioner'. Ahem.</p><p>Sir Kenneth Branagh and Sir Mark Rylance almost pissed themselves laughing, not to mention Christopher Nolan. But he appreciated Potato's question, nonetheless.</p><p>He can set his modesty aside to admit there aren't many people with his extent of experience in this arena.</p><p>The narcissist in him can only smirk and ensure to give them a good show then.</p><p>But the kind, compassionate and loving boyfriend in him can switch it off even more easily.</p><p>&gt;<br/>&gt;</p><p>13th July 2017</p><p>Harry made a point of checking in often with Eloise during the long days of press junkets, interviews and photoshoots in the busy week running up to Dunkirk's premiere.</p><p>Hell, he's never pretended to have any chill when it comes to her anyway.</p><p>He FaceTimed, called, texted.</p><p>In transit, during lunch breaks, on coffee breaks.</p><p>She drew the line at the toilet breaks.</p><p>But if it wasn't her phone chiming, it was the gate buzzing.</p><p>Flowers, lunch deliveries, sweet treats, even a selection artisanal breads. He bloody loves a sourdough, that boy.</p><p>He'd had to have a word with himself and firmly pocket his phone when he found himself Googling whether you could get puppies delivered to your house, just to play with for a few hours. On reflection, that's got puppy farm written all over it.</p><p>And if it wasn't a procession of delivery drivers, it was a steady stream of visitors and house guests.</p><p>She's on to him.</p><p>Still recovering and keen to avoid being photographed just yet, she's relatively housebound, but he doesn't want her getting lonely or having too much time alone to think.</p><p>No chance.</p><p>Mer returned from visiting her parents on the Thursday - his first day of junkets - and headed straight back to Eloise in Hampstead, staying through the weekend.</p><p>Lou and Lux joined them on the Friday. Going stir crazy, Eloise convinced them to smuggle her out, literally just around the corner, for an al fresco lunch in the pub garden. They'd promised not to tell Harry, but an over-excited Lux spilled the beans as soon as he got home.</p><p>He ensured he was home all weekend and barely let Eloise out of his sight. Overprotective, much?</p><p>When he was back at it with the cast for photoshoots from Monday lunchtime, Adele and Angelo came to hang out. Baby Jack's sleep schedule, or lack thereof, meant Rosie and he were able to FaceTime in from LA for more of it than they hoped.</p><p>Jeff and Glenne arrived on Tuesday afternoon. He was then out with Harry during the day, but Glenne proved exactly the upbeat fun and distraction Eloise needed.</p><p>Finally, filling the house further, Anne and Gemma returned again yesterday, back down to stay for the premiere.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>All the comings and goings and house guests helped keep Eloise off her phone, which was a blessing in itself.</p><p>Speculation around the ambulance papped at Harry's rumbled on across social platforms, and the media recycled the pregnancy rumours from before their trip to Mallorca and theorised about the timing of that too.</p><p>Eloise had been physically sick when she'd realised she was in fact unknowingly pregnant at the time of those tabloid stories. She'd been so quick and adamant in dismissing them, but little had they known.</p><p>Needless to say, Harry encouraged her to have a total news and social media detox to avoid driving herself crazy over it.</p><p>Unable to travel, she'd been disappointed to miss the Baby Driver premieres that week in LA and Sydney. But she did hear that her cast mates covered for her, saying in red carpet interviews that she was unfortunately just too busy working to make the long trips.</p><p>Jeff and the publicists briefed all the journalists and media at Harry's junkets not to go there, and he had the production company's permission to step out if they pushed it.</p><p>Wanting to keep their business private, he only confided in Tom Glynn-Carney, whom he's closest to of the cast. If felt good to talk, especially to someone a little further removed from their relationship. He'd only met Eloise once, briefly on set, but they got on well, so it hadn't feel like a breach of her trust to offload to his friend in confidence.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Harry wakes slowly on Thursday morning.</p><p>He'd slept like a baby after his busy week and their rowdy barbecue with Anne, Gemma, Jeff and Glenne last night.</p><p>Indulging in a quick stretch, feeling content and well-rested, he rolls over as he flips his pillow for the cool side. Cracking one mossy green eye open, he can't help but grin to find Eloise snuggled on her side, already watching him closely with a soft smile tugging at her lips.</p><p>Without moving, touching or even saying a word, they spend a sleepy minute or so simply eyeing each other. A silent conversation passes between their intense gazes and gentle smiles.</p><p>It breaks when he unconsciously drops a palm to adjust his morning semi. She can't help but notice and raises an eyebrow, smirking as she shuffles closer and burrows her own hand under the duvet towards him.</p><p>"Nope! Sorry", he pops the 'p', shifting quickly and batting her hand away.</p><p>But she's persistent, and tries in vain to outmanoeuvre him, bigger and stronger though he is.</p><p>"Stop!", he laughs when, after their quick and very gentle wrestle, he ends up with both of her outstretched hands pinned in his bigger one.</p><p>Admitting defeat, she changes tack, craning closer to peck kisses over his chest and up his neck to whisper sultrily in his ear. "Come on, let me...".</p><p>His groan tapers into a chuckle as he cranes away from her. He can be almost just as stubborn. "I'm not a caveman! You go without, I go without; it's that simple", he says gently, eyeing her intently.</p><p>"You don't need to be a martyr, H! I'm offering", she tries again. "It's a big day for you... I just wanted to try and do something nice for you", she says dejectedly, shrinking huffily away from him.</p><p>Oh, no. He knows when she's acting, and that was laying it on too thick.</p><p>"And I'm saying 'thank you'... But I want to wait, okay? I'll always wait for you", he leans over to kiss the end of her nose sweetly.</p><p>He pulls her into the crook of his arm and jostles her shoulder gently. "Good to know I'm irresistible, but have some self control, jeez!", he laughs trying to lighten her mood.</p><p>"You're still seeing Doctor Lewis tomorrow, right?", he checks. "So potentially just one more day? That's more than worth the wait, for the reassurance alone".</p><p>He twists and drops a chaste kiss to her lips before sitting up to head to the ensuite for a shower.</p><p>She fists the duvet in frustration. Damnit. Attempt one of the morning proves an unexpected fail.  And that was her trump card.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>She's been desperately trying to prove that she's up to attending his premiere - inside the cinema, if not on the red carpet or at the afterparty.</p><p>But she's still not one hundred percent. The world's worst period had finally come to an end, but she's still feeling its effects. In combination with the anaemia, it has wiped her out and left her feeling exhausted. Her stitches have stopped pulling as much, but the strained muscles of her abs and around her ribs are still causing her discomfort, so she struggles to stand up straight without wincing.</p><p>When he emerges from the steamy shower, he finds her at the sink, brushing her teeth with a frown.</p><p>Catching her eye in the mirror, he walks up behind her, wraps his arms around her towel clad body and tries to talk her down. "I love you, El. I love that you're so determined, but I just don't want you to have a set back, okay? That's all this is, I promise".</p><p>He really can read her like a book, huh?</p><p>She avoids catching his eye, feeling guilty at him having cottoned on to her tactics.</p><p>"If you're there and I can't be with you, I'll just worry about you", he explains softly. "Please? Just rest up, and I'll do what I need to do and get back to you as quickly as I can". He drops a kiss to her bare shoulder.</p><p>Wrapping her arms over his and leaning back against his chest, her eyes lift to find his in the mirror. "Don't miss any of it on my account, Harry, please? It's your big night!", she implores</p><p>"One I'd rather spend with you. Only you", he says plainly with a shrug.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>It's early afternoon and Eloise is still quietly moping around in his dressing gown.</p><p>They're all gathered in the living room, chatting over coffees as Harry Lambert steams his suit and shirt for tonight.</p><p>When Anne, Gemma and Glenne make moves to head up to start getting ready, Eloise, feeling another wave of guilt at the thought of not being there for him, stakes one last attempt.</p><p>Sucking in a deep breath, she braces her hands to push herself off the sofa. "Let me come, H, please? Really, I can do-", she trails off, wincing sharply as she freezes halfway to standing.</p><p>He rushes forward and takes her gently by the elbows, one eyebrow arched in challenge until she relents and eases herself back down with his help.</p><p>Grumbling quietly that all the others have been no help in trying to convince him, she finally relents.</p><p>Pouting and frowning, she settles back into the sofa as everyone else heads upstairs to get ready.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Eloise can't help but turn that frown upside down when she sees Harry emerge back downstairs later on.</p><p>Lou's done a stellar job, coiffing him to perfection. She needs to remember to ask if she swiped any highlighter on him, because he's positively glowing.</p><p>He's in a perfectly tailored bespoke Gucci double-breasted suit with a white silk shirt. She can't quite decide if it's dark grey, petrol blue, or a smokey black. It's been a while since she's seen him in something so pared back, but it's stunning. And, classic Harry, some statement embroidered dark red leather boots lend a high fashion edge.</p><p>She's not sure she's ever seen him looking quite so handsome. And that's saying something, when he can make her swoon in a pair of grey sweatpants.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>The photos Anne insists on taking of them before he leaves might just be his new favourites.</p><p>He's suited and booted; she's casual as can be, swamped in his lilac hooded dressing gown. Yet they still look the perfect pair.</p><p>He's front on, standing proud; she's facing him, snuggled into his side.</p><p>In one they're both looking to camera, with matching beaming smiles and crinkly, watery eyes.</p><p>In the other, she's on her tip toes with a hand to his jaw, whispering smilingly against his ear. His expression says it all. Half smile, half smirk.</p><p>His mum doesn't need to know what she was whispering in his ear, about exactly what she intends to do to him as soon as she gets cleared by the doctor.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Just as Eloise had done with him, Harry FaceTimes her once he's alone in the car.</p><p>He's starting to get a little nervous and needs the distraction. He finally admits that he wished she could be here too and promises he'll make it up to her, for denying her.</p><p>She sees his pinch-me moment, sparkling green eyes wide with disbelief as he clocks the huge crowd and spectacle of the world premiere.</p><p>"Go get 'em, H. I'm so proud of you", she beams at him, eyes a suspiciously watery blue.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>With Jeff and his security guard hovering relatively close by, Harry walks the red carpet alone.</p><p>The fans go wild for him and he makes a point of spending as much time greeting them all as he can, signing autographs and snapping photos, as some of his cast mates pat him on the back as they saunter past.</p><p>Eventually, one of the film's publicists pulls him towards the press walk for interviews.</p><p>The common theme of the interviews is how soon the journalists will veer into talking about his fame, or his music, or One Direction, as opposed to the film. Trying to ruffle his feathers, one even asks outright if he was cast for his fanbase as a marketing ploy, winning out over a more deserving novice actor. Ouch.</p><p>He hates having to be on the defensive, so goes for knowing but slightly aloof. "I guess I'll have to let you be the judge of that. How about you watch it and let me know what you think?". His accompanying smirk makes it patently obvious he thinks the interviewer's a massive prick.</p><p>He loses count of the number of times the publicist has to step in and remind the journalists to keep focused on the movie. But the final interviewer takes the biscuit, ignoring her stern briefing and going on to pry about his family and the ambulance drama and then also his relationship.</p><p>Gritting his teeth, Harry shakes his head in disappointment, stepping back as Jeff swoops in to tell the film's publicist that he's done.</p><p>From there he's ushered into the centre of the line-up for the photo call, then on to the receiving line to shake hands with Prince Harry.</p><p>He meets up with his mum - who's brimming with pride and beside herself with excitement - for some photos, before they join Jeff, Glenne, Gemma and his Dad inside the foyer. His bodyguard loiters closely too.</p><p>Quaffing champagne, they rub shoulders with Christopher Nolan, Sir Kenneth Branagh, Sir Mark Rylance, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, and all the younger guys too - Fionn, Aneurin, Barry and Jack too. Plus Tom, who has his blonde hair dyed red for a new role. "Doing a Daisy!", he jests with a wink.</p><p>Harry can sense they're all watching him closely, expecting more of a spectacle.</p><p>It's Cillian that calls him on it, good naturally. "Call this an entourage, mate? I'm disappointed", he tuts.</p><p>Jack pipes up, "I'm only disappointed that your girl isn't here!".</p><p>Glancing around cautiously, Harry rubs the back of his neck and quietly explains they're trying to keep under the radar. But he's grateful to spot Tom having a word in Jack's ear; he soon backs off.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Settled in the cinema for the film to start, Harry stills in shock as he hears a growling lick of a bass guitar over a black screen.</p><p>It gives him goosebumps instantly. He's heard and felt that so many times before. That the thought of it alone gets him more excited than the whole spectacle of this evening is pretty telling.</p><p>But he knows this track too. He knows this trailer. And he cannot believe they're playing it tonight. How perfectly serendipitous.</p><p>The others around him start cottoning on and take his entranced reaction as confirmation, just as they get their first sight of Eloise as Daisy up there on the fifty foot screen.</p><p>He's grinning like a fool, achingly proud. God, he wishes she were right here next to him; if only to see how she'd have squirmed in embarrassment. But he takes some comfort in knowing that she still featured in his big night, somehow.</p><p>Anne, Gemma and Glenne are all jigging up and down in their seats in excitement.</p><p>His Dad stares in disbelief - it's his first glimpse of her in character, with red hair and singing her heart out. It's admittedly a lot to take in.</p><p>Jeff reaches behind Anne's seat to fist bump him. Tom and Jack have the same idea, leaning forward and reaching to clap him on the shoulders in congratulations.</p><p>There's a ripple of excited murmuring around the cinema after the trailer closes on the thrumming wide shot of the audience with the reverb of the howling electric guitar riff.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Dunkirk is entirely different. Absorbing and moving, but in very different ways.</p><p>With its distinct acts, sparse script and painstaking sound design, on the huge IMAX screen, it's an unsettling but brilliantly immersive sensorial experience.</p><p>Harry's genuinely moved, and so proud of it.</p><p>But, seeing the fruits of their labour, he can't help but be reminded of those long days in the water tank and the interminable waiting around in his trailer on remote sets.  Weeks on end in the water, for just a handful of those scenes to make the final edit, and some just of the back of his head? He can't help but feel a tiny bit put out.</p><p>It was, undeniably, one hell of an experience, but he's one hundred percent confident that music is his future; at least for now.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Harry ditches before the afterparty.</p><p>He cunningly drops by the Bleach London make-up launch party in Soho on his way; ostensibly to support Lou and her twin sister, Sam, on their latest venture.</p><p>They're surprised to see him, but appreciative of the press coverage his appearance guarantees. Especially tonight.</p><p>They aren't surprised when he sneaks out the back door after just five minutes.</p><p>Successfully shaking the paparazzi from his tail, he races straight home to Eloise.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>He finds her in bed, reading with his glasses on.</p><p>"You should really get your own, you know?", he says lowly, smirking as he leans against the doorframe.</p><p>She almost jumps out of her skin, tossing the book out of her hands in fright.</p><p>Pulling off his boots and jacket he kneels on the edge of the bed and crawls over her.</p><p>Peering over his frames, she eyes him hungrily. "Holy shit! Don't tell my boyfriend, but there's a bonafide movie star in my bed", she squeals like an overzealous fan.</p><p>Their giggles quickly devolve into kisses as he settles down, caged between her lean thighs.</p><p>"For the record, you look phenomenally handsome". She leans back into the pillow, a hand either side of his jaw to push him gently as she catches her breath. "But as if you sacked it off? This is your big night, Harry! Is everyone else at least still there, making up for your lame departure?".</p><p>"Didn't you get my texts?".</p><p>"Oh, shit, sorry", she shakes her head. "My phone did the exclamation mark warning thing and hasn't come back to life yet. I assumed it was all the mentions from your premiere...?", she trails off confusedly, seeing his grin.</p><p>"So you didn't get the photo I sent then?", he checks, already smirking.</p><p>"No, what of?".</p><p>"Oh, only the best pair of tits I've ever seen... Sans bra, in a white crochet crop top, at least fifty feet across", he grins lasciviously, tugging the duvet down for another look at them.</p><p>Her jaw drops. "What? No way?".</p><p>"Yes way!", he chuckles. "It was the ninety second trailer, I think? It was fucking epic - looked and sounded incredible; everyone loved it", he drops another smiling kiss to her lips, parted in shock. "You should have heard it, everyone in the cinema was chattering excitedly", he digs around in his pocket and pulls out his phone, finding the photo.</p><p>"Oh, my God!", she looks at him, aghast. "When I finally okayed that shot, I never once though of them getting blown up to fucking cinema size!", she panics.</p><p>It was true to the book, to be fair. An iconic album cover of a close-up of Daisy and Billy's contrasting torsos. His buff, rugged, denim clad. Hers soft, braless, in barely there white crochet.</p><p>When she'd first seen it, she almost lost her nerve entirely. The thought of her nipples bold as day across a fifty foot cinema screen? Fucking hell. She needs to remember to find a ruse for her Dad and brothers not to be at that premiere.</p><p>"Oh, thank God I wasn't there... Watching that, next to your Dad? I'd have fucking died!", she blanches.</p><p>"I didn't hear him complaining!", he laughs. "He literally shook my hand for it".</p><p>"Oh, Harryyyy...", she wails, hiding her blush in his neck.</p><p>They're interrupted when his phone, still in her hand, rings with a FaceTime call from Tom and Jack and the other guys. Ruddy faced and glassy eyed, they're all haphazardly bundled in the booth of a noisy club, doing shots.</p><p>"Styles! Where the fuck did you go? You are a bloody disappointment! I cannot believe I defended you", Tom rants in a jovial slur.</p><p>Harry laughs and rolls off Eloise, settling against the headboard alongside her, pulling her into his side as she burrows deeper into the duvet.</p><p>Jack wrestles the phone off Tom. "You didn't even show up! That is distinctly the opposite of rock 'n' roll behaviour. You are an embarrassment, sir!", he laments, Scottish burr even stronger after quite so many drinks.</p><p>Harry scoffs a laugh and tilts his phone down to reveal Eloise, hiding bashfully in the duvet. She leans against his chest, with his glasses slipping down her nose and her hair tumbling messily around her shoulders.</p><p>"What are you doing? H, stop!", she sasses, swatting at his arm and hastily tugging her tank top up.</p><p>"Pretty sure this is the definition of rockstar, you fuckers", he smirks. "I win!".</p><p>The chorus of cheering and heckling from the lads is cut off as Tom wrestles his phone back, peering closer. "Wait, wait! Has she got anything on? Can we get another look at those knockers?".</p><p>"Fuck you, you shits!", Harry shouts before hanging up and tossing his phone across the bed.</p><p>He tugs Eloise further down the bed and rolls to settle back over her.</p><p>"They're mine", he growls, smoothly tugging the duvet and her top down with one pass of his hand.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>When he lifts his mouth back up to hers again, hands are roaming and hips are rutting.</p><p>"Can we? I feel okay, really", she pants in his ear, biting at his lobe.</p><p>Harry groans lowly into her neck, "But your appointment's not till tomorrow? We should really wait".</p><p>Smirking behind his head, she can't say she sensed an enormous amount of conviction from him then.</p><p>She tries again, pulling him back to look him in the eye as she gets to work on his shirt buttons. "But I'm not sure I can... Wait?", she purrs, biting her lip and looking at him through her lashes for full effect.</p><p>"Oh, you're killing me!", he grits out, rising up on straightened arms and hanging his head in disbelief.</p><p>"Okay, okay!", she relents. Hooking a hand behind his neck and pulling him back down for a kiss, "But there's nothing wrong with my mouth, H...?".</p><p>It's almost enough alone for him to come in his still half unzipped trousers.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>As if he even thought to question her. She deploys every trick in her arsenal and quickly renders him a grunting, cursing, shaking mess.</p><p>Fast approaching the point of no return, he just about has the wherewithal to gently pull her off him, and prop her up against the headboard.</p><p>Panting through puffy lips with her hair a tousled mess around her shoulders, she looks at him curiously; he's not sure he's ever seen her so wanton.</p><p>Pulling himself on to his knees in front of her, with a couple of tugs at his glistening, heavy, throbbing cock, he braces a hand on the wall in front of him as he comes in thick white ropes, painting across her heaving flushed chest.</p><p>After a beat, she looks up at him in shock from under her lashes. Now he's definitely never seen her so wanton. Fucking hell, that's an image he'll never get out of his mind.</p><p>"Mine", he growls. Simple but effective.</p><p>It would seem jealous-possessive Harry has his domineering hat on today.</p><p>"Only yours", she promises. She gets it.</p><p>Shifting back, he folds down between her legs and sets about returning the favour.</p><p>After the most eventful period of "downtime", it's time to get back to it. In more ways than one.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Part L</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>23rd July 2017</p><p>After wrapping up their last few photo shoots and interviews, Harry and his cast mates returned to Dunkirk for the French premiere last weekend, then headed straight to New York from there for the last round of press and the final premiere on Tuesday.</p><p>Since its general release on Friday, the early numbers are looking really strong and the reception has been really positive.</p><p>Eloise hopes that might help soften the blow of her bad news.</p><p>The Sunday morning traffic had been light heading to Heathrow, so she parks up at the VIP entrance with time to spare.</p><p>Chewing on her lip, she pulls up her calendar on her phone, hoping in vain to find a solution that's alluded her so far.</p><p>Her phone has been blowing up ever since the Daisy Jones &amp; The Six trailers premiered. It seems like everyone she's ever known, or at least certainly ever worked with, wants a piece of her. It's exhausting, and a little transparent.</p><p>After her unanticipated time off to recuperate, they had to reschedule a number of photoshoots and interviews for the long-lead glossy magazines.</p><p>Despite her best efforts, they'd been condensed into one very busy week.</p><p>This coming week. Her last and intentionally clear one before they start shooting Killing Eve.</p><p>The one she had resolutely promised Harry that she'd keep free; for their last opportunity for some quality time together before she's at the mercy of long days shooting on location - first around London in August, and then across Europe from September - as he bunkers down for rehearsals prior to heading out on tour.</p><p>Swiping through her calendar once again, she frowns. Even more has been scheduled in overnight.</p><p>In between shoots and interviews there will be meetings galore, to sign off promotional materials and lock the press tour schedule - London, NYC and LA in October. It has proved a nightmare trying to squeeze everything into a couple of pre-negotiated windows within her Killing Eve shoot schedule.</p><p>"Fuuuuck", she whines as she spots another new invite. A dinner with Netflix executives next Sunday - literally her final night before they start shooting bright and early the next day.</p><p>Frowning and tugging at the roots of her hair, she taps on the new invite and checks the other attendees, hoping to find some kind of leeway.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>"FUCK!", she repeats, this time at a shout as knuckles rap unexpectedly against her window.</p><p>Jumping in surprise, she accidentally flings her phone across the car where it lands with a clatter in the front passenger seat footwell.</p><p>Dropping her left hand to her hammering chest on a shaky exhale, she whips her head to her right and immediately breaks into a grin at seeing his laughing smile, tired eyes and tousled hair.</p><p>Impatiently tugging on the handle of her locked door, he soon hauls her from the car. Dropping his heavy leather tote and garment bags at his feet with a thump, he wastes no time in pulling her straight into his arms.</p><p>"You and your surprises!", he chuckles, nuzzling into her hair and breathing in the sweet, elusive scent of her shampoo. He can never quite pinpoint it; but he'll never tire of trying. "God, I missed you".</p><p>"You too", she mumbles back, pressing a kiss to his neck. "I couldn't bear to wait another hour".</p><p>Pulling her back, he skates his hands around to cup either side of her jaw, thumbs stroking across her smiling cheeks. "I have to say, you are a lot prettier than my usual driver", he smirks.</p><p>"I should bloody hope so!", she scoffs, swatting at his arm.</p><p>"Hey! Don't be mean to Greg", he parries back playfully.</p><p>"H?", she steps closer and pulls him down, "Shut up and kiss me".</p><p>&gt;</p><p>They break apart only when another car pulls into the walled car park.</p><p>Grinning, he pecks a kiss to her forehead before holding her door open, then stoops to collect his bags and slings them in the boot on his way round to the passenger seat.</p><p>Sliding in, he catches her biting her flushed, plumped lower lip. Smiling so broadly that his dimples pop, he leans across the centre console to peck her lips again.</p><p>Pulling back, he rests a hand on her cheek, eyeing her appraisingly. "How are you feeling?".</p><p>"Better", she nods with a soft smile.</p><p>"Better, better?", he checks, raising a sceptical eyebrow.</p><p>"Better, better! I promise", she rolls her eyes fondly.</p><p>As she starts the car, he reaches down for her phone in the footwell and glances at the still lit up screen of her calendar. "Holy shit!", he winces.</p><p>"Ugh, I know. I'm so sorry" she grimaces, pulling out of the car park. "I'm having to play some serious catch-up after the last few weeks. Everything's been squeezed into next week and it's looking hideous. I'm so disappointed; I was so looking forward to a week of just us before the madness kicks off again. We need it. But if I can-".</p><p>He cuts off her hurried rambling with a chuckle as he drops a hand to her thigh with a reassuring squeeze. "El, relax! I get it, I'm not cross. God, that would make me such a hypocrite! I totally understand. If anything I'm just relieved they gave you a proper break to recover. I'm more than happy to be your tag-along boyfriend, alright? I'll take anything I can get, anything you can give me", he pulls his hand from her thigh to squeeze her left hand resting on the gear stick. "Let's sit down at home and compare schedules and I'll work out how much I can join, okay? Please don't stress".</p><p>He lifts her hand to his lips and sponges playful kisses across her knuckles and her palm until he works his way up her wrist, when she shakes him off with a giggle as she focuses on merging on to the M4.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Once home, he bundles her into the shower, despite her weak protests. He's not quite ready to be separated from her again, even for a few minutes.</p><p>It's only when he notices her angling herself away from him that he realises, belatedly.</p><p>Stepping gently towards her, he dips to catch her eye, then splays his hands over her hips to anchor her in place, not letting her squirm away. He then drops to his knees and presses featherlight kisses over the two visible small scars - it's the first time he's seen them uncovered.</p><p>They're relatively neat, but an angry dark pink against the paler skin below the tan lines from her bikini bottoms. They'll fade in time, but are a stark reminder of what she went through and what they had been denied.</p><p>After reverently bowing to rest his head against her stomach for a few somber seconds, he looks up at her through his lashes. "I love you, El. I'm so in love with you. Every bit of you", he reassures.</p><p>Swallowing thickly as her fluttery blink breaks their watery long stare, he stands swiftly and pulls her into his arms, stepping them back under the warm spray from the shower overhead.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Hair still damp from their long shower, he flops down on to her lap on the sofa and they compare schedules again, making loose plans for when he might be able to drop by her various shoots.</p><p>He'll avoid the journalists, obviously, and will have to hang back to wait for her nod that each of the editorial shoot crews are cool and discrete enough before he heads over. But still, it's reassurance enough to see a few hours blocked out for her in his diary almost every day next week.</p><p>See, they can make this work.</p><p>Where there's a will, there's a way. Well, with a little flexibility and pragmatism.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Seeing her crammed schedule again is a fitting reminder that this afternoon is the very last of her free time, so she swats away his wandering hands and drags him off the sofa.</p><p>Grabbing the picnic she'd prepared earlier, they head out for a long walk on Hampstead Heath, making the most of the glorious summer sunshine.</p><p>With his arm slung around her shoulder and hers around his waist, they can't help but recall their walk around Central Park - unbelievably now almost exactly two years before.</p><p>Spreading the picnic blanket under the dappled sunlight streaming through the leaves of a majestic old oak tree, they while away a few hours - chatting and reminiscing on their favourite memories together, between feeding each other strawberries and indulging in languorous kisses.</p><p>All in all, it's a pretty perfect lazy summer Sunday afternoon.</p><p>And one made even better - refreshingly and all too rarely - by not being spotted, interrupted or papped even once. Bliss.</p><p>&gt;<br/>&gt;</p><p>25th July 2017</p><p>Jeff arrives on Tuesday morning, flying in on the red-eye from LAX for a number meetings with the publicists and the label, to lock down the final details of the tour.</p><p>Eloise returns home late that night after a long day with an editorial photographer.</p><p>She inadvertently interrupts their final meeting of the day, as they pick at takeaway sushi whilst looking over papers spread out across the coffee table.</p><p>Sniggering quietly to herself as only an inappropriately tipsy person can, she misses their bemused looks as she not so stealthily bundles into the house, rebounding off the marble island unit as she pulls off her heels. She playfully tiptoes into the living room, only to stumble into the sofa and flop down, face first, right into Harry's lap.</p><p>Having braced her shoulder just in time to soften the impact, he bursts out laughing. "Everything okay down there, babe?".</p><p>She mumbles something indecipherable into his lap, but, with a little deduction, he just about interprets it; "Accidentally shit-faced; champagne on set; no lunch; oops".</p><p>Catching Jeff's grin, he scrunches his nose fondly as he looks down and rakes her hair over her shoulder.</p><p>With a concerted effort, she flips herself on to her side, but inadvertently turns the wrong way, so she ends up facing him.</p><p>"Oops!", she snorts before calling out "Hi Jeff", without turning around. </p><p>"Oh, hello El... Didn't notice you come in", he replies, deadpan, setting her off.</p><p>When Tommy, on the phone from the office in LA, pipes up with "Hi Eloise!", she absolutely loses it, making Harry crease into laughter too. Even an exasperated Jeff huffs a laugh.</p><p>She's silly and flirty and absolutely getting in the way of them wrapping up their work for the day.</p><p>Despite promising to be good, she can't resist getting comfy and nosing her face under his t-shirt into his lower abs, pressing spongy open mouthed kisses down his happy trail, sniggering all the while. He gives up when she blows a massive raspberry above his hip.</p><p>"Right, that's it!", he pretends to be stern, hoisting her up and throwing her mercillessly over his shoulder.</p><p>"Sorry, urgent meeting!", he throws back to Jeff, trying to keep a straight face as he strides across the hall.</p><p>"Hey! You're never that eager for my meetings", Jeff sasses.</p><p>"Yeah, well, no offence, but I'm not quite as emotionally invested in your gag reflex, am I?", he shouts crudely back, laughing as he swats at her flailing arms whilst kicking open the door to his office.</p><p>"Forget it, Tommy... We'll have to pick this up tomorrow", he hears Jeff sigh into the phone before the door swings closed.</p><p>Through it, he then hears him swiftly up the volume on the TV that had been playing quietly in the background.</p><p>Good man.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Harry keeps the lights dim and deposits Eloise on his desk.</p><p>Finally able to take a proper look at her, he takes in the sexy, smudgy make-up, tousled blow dry and the fitted black mini dress that she definitely wasn't wearing when she left the house this morning.</p><p>"Hmm, is this is new?", he whispers appreciatively, running a finger down her side, over the opulent fabric.</p><p>"Mmm hmm", she shrugs nonchalantly, "Sweet-talked the stylist". Batting her eyelashes playfully, she bites her lip as she holds his intense gaze.</p><p>"Fuck, you look like sex on legs", he groans, tugging hers apart so he can step between them to get closer.</p><p>"How drunk are you, hmm?", he asks sceptically, clocking her more co-ordinated demeanour.</p><p>He tips her chin up to look her straight in the eyes; focused and clear.</p><p>"It was only a couple of glasses, H. Give me some credit!", she grins naughtily, now notably in control of all her faculties.</p><p>He gapes in disbelief, quickly smirking at her.</p><p>"What?", she asks with faux innocence. "Just an actress, in a black dress", she sing-songs his own lyrics back at him, making him burst out laughing at her cunning.</p><p>He wraps a hand around the nape of her neck and pulls her closer. "Driving me crazy, that's for sure", he bites out against her lips before they crash together in a heated, handsy kiss.</p><p>He drops his down to her neck, which she extends as she arches her back, pressing her chest up into his hands. She bites her lip again as he lathes back up the column of her long neck, rounding to trail his tongue up the shell of her ear, making her squirm and mewl.</p><p>"Minx", he grits out in a whisper, flexing his hips into hers. "Fuck, I need you. So badly".</p><p>Gasping for breath, she pushes at his broad shoulders until he takes the hint and drops heavily into his desk chair, wobbling as it swivels a little.</p><p>Her eyes flit between his intent gaze and him tugging at his smirking lips, as she dips her fingers teasingly under the hem of her dress to peel down her black lacy knickers and step demurely out of them.</p><p>Dancing her fingers back up her thighs she grips the hem of her dress and shimmies it higher and higher, up towards her hips.</p><p>His eyes snap to the teasing flash as she kneels on his chair to straddle him.</p><p>Clocking his audible gulp as she slides forward to connect their hips, she delights in the press of his notable bulge; the fabric of his black sweatpants lends scant friction against her bare heat.</p><p>"I've been thinking about you, about this, all day...", she whispers sultrily, tugging his grey t-shirt swiftly over his head.</p><p>Sneaking his right hand between her legs from behind, he trails his fingers between her lips, making her gasp. "Mmm, I can tell". He claims her others with his own, impressively multi-tasking as he grapples with the zip of her dress with his other hand.</p><p>His persistence pays off and he soon has it over her head and her black lacy bra off, to have her naked in his lap, eyebrows raised and smirking wantonly.</p><p>That can't have taken more than ten seconds flat. She's impressed. All the more so given all his blood was evidently rushing south.</p><p>As his hands wander and take in all her tanned skin on display, she buries hers in his hair and on his neck, surging in for another kiss, moaning both at his thumbs rounding her pebbling nipples and the anticipation of what's to come.</p><p>Breaking the contact of their cores only momentarily, she leans closer to keep their lips together whilst kneeling up slightly to tug at his waistband. Nudging his hips up, she pulls his boxers and sweatpants down his muscular thighs in one fell swoop.</p><p>His hard length rebounding against her core has them both gasping into each others mouths.</p><p>Lengthy sighs sing out as she sinks straight down again, smoothly taking him to the hilt.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>With his feet braced firmly on the floor against the swivelling motion of the chair, a light sheen of sweat soon coats their skin as their hushed pants, moans and groans spill into the small room.</p><p>He smirks as she groans out a ragged "Fuck, H", before she shifts suddenly back, grabbing at her left hamstring. "Fuck, fuck... Cramp!".</p><p>"Oh, shit!", he gasps, lifting her out of his lap and back on to the desk, before quickly standing and massaging the muscle of her thigh firmly with his large hand.</p><p>She groans again, this time in relief, pulling him in closer, between her parted legs.</p><p>"Is that helping?", he bites out, head buried in her neck, eyes cast down at the quivering muscles of her leg.</p><p>"Mmm, keep going", she begs, her own gaze locked firmly on his glistening, straining cock.</p><p>"You have just proved you can multi-task...", she grins, sliding closer to the edge of the desk as she wraps her fingers around his length, pumping a few times before pulling him closer and lining them back up. They moan in harmony as he slides back home whilst his strong fingers continue to work their magic, burrowing into the bunched muscle of her thigh.</p><p>With his eyes firmly closed in concentration, he's soon hammering into her, hips pistoning and grinding as they chase their release.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Having come back down to earth, she sheepishly tugs up her knickers and pulls on his t-shirt before gathering her dress and bra under her arm. She steps close to peek over his bare shoulder as he looks around the doorframe for Jeff.</p><p>Not seeing him in the living room, she nudges Harry forward. Tip toeing cautiously into the kitchen, she soon yelps in surprise as he steps out from behind the open fridge door.</p><p>He shakes his head ruefully, chuckling. "So, can I have him back now?", Jeff sasses.</p><p>"Briefly!", she laughs, acquiescing as she skips up the stairs. "Sorry, not sorry, Jeffrey", she trills smugly over her shoulder like the cat that got the cream.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>After a quick shower, she heads back downstairs, feeling only slightly guilty to see them sitting in front of their papers again.</p><p>In the kitchen, making a round of drinks in the hopes of appeasing Jeff, she checks that they're actually finished before heading back to the living room.</p><p>Hearing their affirmations, she impulsively snags the bottles of gin and tonic and adds them to her tray, alongside the three glasses.</p><p>&gt;<br/>&gt;</p><p>30th July 2017</p><p>Eloise woke Harry up on Wednesday morning, whining about her breakfast interview as she begrudgingly kissed him goodbye in bed.</p><p>His hangover melted quickly into a nagging listlessness, apprehensive at the sense of their time together dwindling.</p><p>He's not heading to LA for another month or so, but knows their time together will soon be dictated by her shoot schedule and his intense rehearsals. Admittedly, he's not being fair; after all, it's usually his schedule wreaking havoc. But, confronted with quite how powerless it feels, he realises he doesn't like it; not one bit.</p><p>But he reined it in, and, true to his word, upon getting her green light texts that the crews seemed discrete, dutifully headed across London to various photography studios and location shoots to support her.</p><p>As much as he loved seeing her in her element and watching other people fall helplessly under her spell too, he can't quite shake the sense of unease he feels at being the one on the sidelines for once.</p><p>He's seen her in action before - at photoshoots, on movie sets, performing as Daisy, in trailers, and even at her own movie premiere - but it's somehow only seeing her interacting with strangers as 'the talent' and the centre of attention that he realised quite how much her star has already quietly risen.</p><p>She's destined for big things - and deservedly so - but he's self-aware enough to recognise when he's being an arsehole. Realising he'll need to fight that bit harder for her attention, he felt immediately guilty for even a passing moment of resentment.</p><p>But he can't quite shake it.</p><p>It was only a tiny, niggling thought, but one that seems to have worryingly taken root.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>His disappointment is confounded when she can't get out of the Netflix industry dinner tonight after all. So much for some final quality time together.</p><p>Outwardly, he'd taken it well enough, insisting she was being unnecessarily apologetic when she'd sheepishly surprised him earlier this morning with breakfast in bed.</p><p>They'd have struggled to escape for their loosely mooted date night anyway. Jeff's still staying at the house, and Mitch and Tom are due to arrive later today, having flown in from LA for rehearsals. Mitch will be staying with them too.</p><p>Harry makes a real effort to hide his disappointment, but, still feeling guilty, she's eagerly looking for it, so they end up slightly awkwardly tip toeing around each other.</p><p>There's a vibe, and it's unsettling to them both.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>But, soon enough, there's a timely distraction.</p><p>Sarah, Adam and Claire also head over that afternoon for a relaxed catch-up before they all need to buckle down for rehearsals.</p><p>The drinks are cracked open and they all let off a little steam.</p><p>Niall, as if sniffing out the cold beers, happens to drop by too and proves eager as ever to join in the fun.</p><p>The noisy and rowdy atmosphere floats up the stairs, and only serves to make Eloise even more resentful of her dinner, as she sits at the dressing table, finishing her make-up.</p><p>She's on a self-sabotaging go-slow, but she can't quite snap out of it.</p><p>Her ringing phone does just that.</p><p>It's Phoebe, asking her to open the gate as they're just around the corner.</p><p>"Shit! The time ran away with me", she apologises. "I'll need a few more minutes, sorry".</p><p>"In that case, can you let me in? I'm busting for a wee", Phoebe barters.</p><p>"Oh, of course, no problem". She hangs up and jumps up, heading for the stairs. "H?", she calls down.</p><p>"YEEEAH?", he hollers goofily back.</p><p>"Please can you open the gate and let Phoebe in? She needs the loo. I'll be down in just a minute".</p><p>&gt;</p><p>True to her word, Eloise scurries down the stairs just a few minutes later, with heels and a jacket clutched in one hand as she holds the ruffled silk sleeveless blouse to her chest.</p><p>Harry looks her up and down, smirking as he cops an eyeful as she bends to step into her heels in front of him.</p><p>"What?", she catches his eye, feeling self conscious, all dolled up in comparison to his sweatpants.</p><p>"Nothing! You look great...", he smirks, "That's, umm, a really unique look". He masks his snigger with a cough.</p><p>He steps close, making her squirm as he trails his fingers up the groove of her bared spine as he gets started on the fiddly buttons up the back of her top.</p><p>"What?", she repeats, frowning at Sarah as she steps into the kitchen.</p><p>"Oh!", she smiles sweetly, "You look gorgeo-".</p><p>She's cut off by a bark of laughter. "No way!", Phoebe cackles from behind her, making Harry lose it too as she turns to look over his shoulder.</p><p>Her jaw drops seeing her. They've unwittingly chosen identical outfits. Tailored tuxedo trousers, a silky white blouse, black jacket, statement heels and even a matching bold lip.</p><p>"Oh, come on!" Eloise laughs, swatting at Harry's abs as she steps out of his reach to head back to the stairs. "Let me quickly find something else".</p><p>Thinking twice, she twirls back to him and pulls her hair out the way for him to undo all the buttons he'd just fastened.</p><p>"Wait, wait!", Phoebe calls, handing Harry her phone as she pulls Eloise into a side hug. "Dancing Emoji twins, go!". They strike the pose.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Eloise emerges back downstairs just a few minutes later to a round of cat-calls, dressed this time in the fitted black mini dress she'd acquired earlier in the week. It's a little dressier than she'd intended, but the first thing she'd laid eyes on.</p><p>"If you don't, I will...", Niall calls to Harry, before promptly throwing his head back and belting out "Little black dress just walked into the room", to everyone else's amusement.</p><p>Harry just reaches over to smack him round the head. "How about you find a girlfriend of your own and stop perving on mine?", he sasses.</p><p>"Hey! Be nice", Eloise admonishes flatly as she bends to fasten her heels. "Don't take out being pissy at me on him", she levels him a look as she stands up straight.</p><p>"I'm not pissy", he huffs. "I get that you have to do this...", he relents, wrapping a hand around her hip to pull her close. "If anything I'm only pissy that you're spending an evening looking like this and I won't get to enjoy it", he whines lowly.</p><p>"Oh, H... I'll be back as soon as I can sneak off, alright? I promise".</p><p>She cheekily necks his wine, then gives him a quick kiss, carefully swiping off the vermillion red from his lower lip.</p><p>"Oh, hang on!", Phoebe pipes up again, snagging Eloise around the waist for another photo before they head out the door, arm in arm.</p><p>She posts a dual "Twinning / Winning" Instagram post from the car as they head to Mayfair.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Eloise returns home just before 10pm, schmoozed out and having begged off the after dinner drinks on account of needing to be fresh for filming tomorrow.</p><p>She finds them spread around the dimly lit living room; mellowed out, drunk on too much red wine, lolling on the sofas, listening to music and chatting shit.</p><p>Seven comfy, casual outfits... And one little black dress.</p><p>She does at least kick off the stilettos after Harry pulls her swiftly down on to his lap.</p><p>Knowing her looming early call time means she'll need to head up to bed soon enough, he's intent on not wasting another minute of their time together.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Part M</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>4th August 2017</p><p>A week later, and Harry was still struggling to shake that funny, apprehensive feeling.</p><p>But he buried it deep down and stepped up in his role as Eloise's resident hype man, intent on allaying her nerves so she could just start enjoying it all.</p><p>He insisted on driving her to her first shoot location on Monday morning, hoping to distract her from her first day jitters.</p><p>He'd given her one of his pep talks in the car.</p><p>Starring in her own screenplay, for Netflix and the BBC? This is huge.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>No shit.</p><p>Eloise really hadn't been sure she could do this.</p><p>At least one thing she didn't need to worry about was learning her lines. She knows the script inside out and back to front - and parts of it in multiple languages.</p><p>But the rest had definitely proved taxing.</p><p>Rather than shooting it episode by episode in order, they determined the schedule by location first, and then around featured cast. Most efficient for the production budget, apparently.</p><p>But her writer's brain had found it exhausting, trying to keep tabs as they jumped between scenes and episodes without rhyme or reason.</p><p>And her linguist's brain had certainly been getting a workout too, flitting between accents and dialects. Earlier in the week, she'd had to pass off three in a single shoot day.</p><p>Harry has been obsessed with her accents, array of wigs and insane wardrobe. Despite her aversion to selfies, he insisted she shoot him a quick video before stepping out on set in anything new. He'd said he wanted a library of every version of her.</p><p>With a mix of day and night shoots spread in various locations across Greater London - including apartments, offices, hospitals, prisons, urban streets and leafy countryside - it had proved a fast-paced and somewhat nomadic existence.</p><p>Almost like a blur of quick jump cuts, like a Wes Anderson movie. Daily production briefings; in and out of the hair and make-up trailer; snatched sessions with her dialect coach; endless quick script meetings; queuing for the catering bus; reviewing takes in the director's gazebo tent; rare snatches of downtime in her trailer; transit vans; coffee, coffee, coffee.</p><p>Lots of coffee.</p><p>Oh, and hundreds of names and faces to try and keep track of too. That had possibly been the trickiest challenge of all.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>After Eloise's unanticipated down time, it was pretty brutal getting back into the swing of things.</p><p>Unlikely to be cleared to resume training for the fight sequences for at least another two weeks or so, they'd had to do some rejigging of the shoot schedule to delay any of her more physical stuff and all of her stunt work for as long as possible.</p><p>Given Villanelle is a violent assassin, it had caused them a huge number of headaches, but the production team worked wonders and had been incredibly accommodating. And very discrete about it all too, to her immense relief.</p><p>But for the action scenes impossible to reschedule, they managed to find a great stunt double, even at short notice. Lara is a little bulkier and shorter than Eloise, but a God send. Her MMA proficiency and agility proved at odds with her quiet and meek demeanour between takes, when she whips off her blonde wig and blends mousily into the background.</p><p>Eloise found the contradiction fascinating. Although she should probably find a new outlet for her people watching - she's seen the damage little Lara can inflict.</p><p>But, in truth, outside of Lucy in the glam trailer, she had been surprised to find it a little lonely on set. So many of her scenes are just with a rotating mix of supporting cast and extras - whom Villanelle usually kills off soon enough anyway.</p><p>Phoebe hadn't been there everyday, and Eloise hasn't yet shot any scenes with Sandra. She loves Harry, their director, but she's had to be mindful not to keep distracting him.</p><p>And her Harry had been holed up in a soundproofed studio, rehearsing all day every day, so her phone had been quieter than usual too.</p><p>Despite the frenetic activity around her, she was surprised to find herself feeling a little isolated.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Always having been a guys' girl - presumably on account of her brothers and that so many girls just seem to succumb to competitive nonsense - Eloise soon found an unsurprising ally on set.</p><p>Toby, the stunt director. He's chill and a good laugh and keeps her on her toes. Needing to play urgent catch-up, he'll also serve as her personal trainer, doubling up on conditioning and fight choreography to save time.</p><p>In anticipation of the two more weeks until she's due to be given the all clear, under Toby's instruction, she has already started incorporating some gentle cardio to regain her stamina.</p><p>To be able to squeeze time for exercise into her already punishing schedule, she'd had to resort to sleeping even less.</p><p>Harry had been quick to clock that it meant he gets even less time with her. And if he hears any more about 'Toby this' or 'Toby that', he's going to need to up his time on the punching bag.</p><p>But that he resorts to spending more time in the gym, just to be with her, is definitely paying off, if his increasingly peachy bum is any indication.</p><p>It's small, as silver linings go, but she definitely won't complain about that.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Finally dragging herself through the front gate at 6.30pm on Friday, it's safe to say it's been a killer first week.</p><p>Literally. Villanelle's kill count is already at seven victims. And she's just noticed she still has some fake blood under her nails. Gross.</p><p>The house is deathly quiet when she drops her bags with a clatter on the marble island in the kitchen.</p><p>Damn. She was really hoping Harry would be home already.</p><p>But maybe it's a chance to make it up to him. Listlessly opening the fridge and then the pantry cupboards, she figures she should surprise him with something nice for dinner.</p><p>Not finding any immediate inspiration, she's magnetically drawn to the sofa, practically swan diving into its plush cushions as she swipes to her messages to find out when he should be back.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>"Do".</p><p>"...Do?", Harry prompts slowly, confused at Jeff's evident distraction.</p><p>"Do?", Jeff repeats, looking confused in the front passenger seat as Harry pulls out of the car park of their rehearsal space in Camden for the short drive home.</p><p>"Do what?", Harry asks plainly again.</p><p>"If this is a new fucking knock knock joke, I swear to God...", Mitch sasses flatly from the backseat, already unimpressed.</p><p>"What the fuck?", Jeff asks again, still looking down.</p><p>"What the fuck?", Harry emphasises, glancing over to see Jeff staring down at one of the phones he'd just tossed into his lap. His personal one.</p><p>"Do?".</p><p>"Do what?!", Harry chuckles exasperatedly. Fucking hell!</p><p>"Exactly!".</p><p>"...What?!", Harry gesticulates wildly.</p><p>"Do?".</p><p>"If you say 'do' one more fucking time...", Harry shouts in frustration.</p><p>Mitch pokes his head through from the back seat of Harry's  Audi, looking between the two of them in concern. "Are you two malfunctioning or something?".</p><p>"Huh?", Jeff asks.</p><p>"Do?", Mitch asks this time, genuinely curious.</p><p>"Oh, my God!", Harry looks at Jeff for a beat longer than is probably strictly safe in the Friday afternoon rush hour traffic. "Do I need to pull over?".</p><p>"Oh shut it, both of you!", Jeff barks a laugh. "What does 'do' mean?".</p><p>Gaping at him, Harry's genuinely getting a bit worried. "...I mean, are you looking for an actual definition or-?".</p><p>Letting out a long scoffing sigh, Jeff lets his inner sassy and self-righteous California bro self show. He speaks obnoxiously slowly, "Your supposedly brilliant girlfriend has sent you a message that just says 'Do'...".</p><p>"Okay...  And?", Harry encourages him to use his words.</p><p>"Is that a code then, for something I don't want to know about?".</p><p>"'Dick o-ppointment'?", Mitch suggests after a beat with a throaty laugh. "Or 'dirty' ...something?".</p><p>Harry levels Mitch with a scathing look in the rearview mirror as Jeff snorts a laugh.</p><p>"It's probably just a butt dial or something?", Harry shrugs. "Don't get your knickers in a twist".</p><p>They snigger before Jeff's turns into a whine. "For the hundredth time, please call them 'panties' H".</p><p>"Oh, absolutely not! Never going to happen. 'Panties' is horrific and should be banned; especially for anyone with an English accent".</p><p>Still chuckling, Jeff sounds out "Do what?" as he texts Eloise back on Harry's phone.</p><p>No response.</p><p>When Mitch starts singing Baby Shark lowly under his breath, Harry sighs and takes matters into his own hands. "Siri, call Eloise", he enunciates clearly for the car's bluetooth speaker.</p><p>No answer.</p><p>"Well, it's a mystery", Mitch chuckles dryly.</p><p>"Calm your tits, both of you! We'll find out in about three minutes or so, alright? I'm voting butt dial".</p><p>Mitch scoffs and says pointedly, quietly, "It figures that even her ass is talented enough to write a message".</p><p>Jeff sniggers. "It is a great ass".</p><p>"Watch it, you fuckers!", Harry growls, smacking a hand towards Jeff's crotch.</p><p>Fucking hell, these two! Harry loves them dearly, but they've only been staying for a week so far... He'll be ready to murder them before the end of the month. It's looking like the week's break won't be nearly enough before they're then back in each pockets on tour for, oh, just the next nine months or so.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Having not been able to reach Eloise, Harry soon finds her easily enough.</p><p>She's fast asleep, face buried in the sofa cushion with her neck bent awkwardly and one arm trailing by her phone, strewn on the floor under the coffee table. In an old pair of Cambridge light blue shorts and a white cotton tank top, even stretched out with one foot perched on the arm rest, she looks slight on the oversized teal blue Chesterfield sofa.</p><p>Hushing Jeff and Mitch, he perches alongside her and tries to gently slide her on to his lap without waking her.</p><p>He considers just scooping her up and tucking her straight into bed upstairs, but he'll do it later. For now, he's more than content to gaze down at her and rake his hands through her hair, pointedly ignoring the heckling from Dumb and Dumber sitting opposite.</p><p>Instead, he decides to deflect some heat and rib Mitch about his out of control crush on Sarah. Way more fun.</p><p>They're interrupted when Eloise wakes with a start, one hand flinging up to her cricked neck. "Oww", she whines sleepily, disorientated and surprised to find Harry gazing down at her. "Oh!", she smiles soppily, cupping a hand to his stubbled jaw. "Do you fancy anything special for dinner then?".</p><p>She jumps in surprise when the all three of them burst out laughing at the anticlimax.</p><p>Confused, she rubs her neck and melts back into Harry's lap with a pout on her face, eyes closing again of their own accord.</p><p>"So...", Jeff asks her, settling back on the other sofa as Mitch passes him a cold beer. "Verdict on week one?".</p><p>"Hmm...", she lolls her head lazily towards him as she arches her back over Harry's lap, indulging in a deep stretch. "Overwhelming. Stressful. Exhausting... Fucking awesome", she grins, rubbing her eye with the palm of her hand.</p><p>She's asleep again, curled around Harry's lap, before the guys even agree on what they do fancy for dinner.</p><p>&gt;<br/>&gt;</p><p>25th August 2017</p><p>Eloise had been cleared to start exercising for two weeks now.</p><p>As soon as she had the final all-clear from the Doctor, she'd thrown herself into training with a vengeance, wanting to do as many of Villanelle's stunts as possible.</p><p>Harry couldn't help but feel a bit concerned. Was this just her legendary focus on display, or was she getting obsessive over something she could actually exert some control over? He resolved to watch her like a hawk.</p><p>He knew she'd be gung-ho about it, but had been shocked to catch her sneaking out of bed at 4am every week day.  After an hour's session downstairs in the gym, she headed out for interval sprints on the Heath as soon as the sun had risen.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>When he drags himself downstairs at 5am again this morning, he pokes his head around the doorframe and can't help but bristle at what he sees.</p><p>Toby, the buff personal trainer, leans closely around her from behind, adjusting her stance in the mirror. He talks her through the steps for a fight sequence again, already realising that she struggles most when Villanelle gets beaten up, failing to repress the impulse to defend herself.</p><p>Then he grunts as he flips her violently over his shoulder and drops her flat on to the floor, ending up kneeling closely over her, pinning her arms and legs down.</p><p>She looks taken aback. Not quite winded, but definitely shocked.</p><p>Hearing Harry's concerned shout, Toby scrambles hastily to his feet.</p><p>Stalking predatorily over, just in his boxers, Harry squares up to him for a second, shooting daggers as he looks down at him, before bending down to pull her to her feet and lead her swiftly towards the door.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Needless to say, Harry fucking hates him.</p><p>Toby is just a bit too omnipresent for his liking. Too intent on her, too into her. It's not that he's too buff, or too good looking, or too funny. Not at all.</p><p>"Are you okay, baby?", he asks quietly, shutting their bedroom door and following her into the ensuite. "What the fuck even was that?", he presses more urgently, irked at her non response.</p><p>"Hmm?", she cuts her eyes up to him.</p><p>"What do you mean, 'hmm'? He could have hurt you! So much for acting, that looked like something from a cage fight", he frowns.</p><p>She rolls her eyes. "Bit difficult to teach fight stances and sequences without any touching, H... He's totally professional".</p><p>"Tell that to his lingering looks and wandering hands", he grits lowly, crossing his arms defensively. "He practically drools over you".</p><p>Her scoff only gets his back up. "If you must know, he was actually gushing about you this morning!".</p><p>"Oh, whatever! So he's some slimy sycophant too?", he sneers. "You're the smartest person I know, El. Take off the rose tinted glasses and smell the fucking coffee here!".</p><p>"Newsflash: You're pretty intimidating, actually Harry! He's here, working for your girlfriend, in your home gym, in your amazing home... You are insanely talented, wildly successful, fit, strong, young, gorgeous... Need me to go on?". His ego isn't normally in need of boosting.</p><p>"Jealous then, it sounds like...", he huffs petulantly, looking down at his bare feet.</p><p>"As if you have the gall to accuse someone of jealousy right now!", she throws her hands up in exasperation.</p><p>"Because it's you!".</p><p>"That's ridiculous".</p><p>"Not when it's you".</p><p>"What's that supposed to mean? You can't trust me?".</p><p>It's his turn to groan exasperatedly. "I won't trust him! Anyone... Fucking hell, how can you always be so oblivious? Every guy always wants you! Trust me, take it from someone who gets it".</p><p>She gapes at him.</p><p>He clenches his sharp jaw.</p><p>The stony silence is deafening.</p><p>He breaks first, tugging at his hair in frustration. "God, he's always fucking here. 4am and you're out of my bed and skipping into his arms. Then you get home at night and talk about your day with him!".</p><p>"That's not fair. I literally don't have any other time or place to train. I have to do this, but I'm running on fucking empty here!", she starts pacing, literally winding herself up. "What are you saying? You won't let me train in your gym? That I need to find somewhere else to avoid you kicking off every morning?". She scoffs lowly, "I can't win! I thought your gripe was that I'm not here enough?".</p><p>"That's not fair... I've not said that", he shakes his head.</p><p>"You haven't had to! Don't pretend you're not thinking it. Give me some credit". She slumps against the counter before pulling herself up to perch on the edge.</p><p>Tentatively, he steps closer to her, his tone gentler. "Of course I want to see you more... Time is ticking. Our time".</p><p>"What does that mean?", she snaps her head up, eyes widened in alarm.</p><p>There's an uncomfortable silence as he swallows thickly.</p><p>He clears his throat. "Anyway, it's yours too", he mumbles. "This is your home too. Our home, our gym".</p><p>"Is it though?".</p><p>Fucking hell, she's impossible when she's like this. "What's that supposed to mean?", he throws back at her.</p><p>Another awkward, bristling silence.</p><p>She takes a deep breath, reaching a tentative hand to stroke lightly down his arm, trying to ground herself. "You're at risk of manifesting something out of nothing here...", she says carefully. "What's with trying to pick a fight when we only have a few days left?".</p><p>He groans, shaking her hand off him as he lifts his hands to tug at his hair again in frustration.</p><p>She presses on. "Are you going to head off on tour with a bee in your bonnet about this? It's not fair, I've done nothing wrong".</p><p>"Well then why am I worried?", he levels.</p><p>"You tell me...", she chuckles flatly in despair, before adding pointedly, "That's on you".</p><p>When he doesn't respond again she pushes back on his shoulders for enough room to slip down from the counter to move past him.</p><p>"Just think about it...", she throws over her shoulder. Pausing at the doorframe, she looks back at him over her shoulder. "Are you having second thoughts... About long distance and the tour?", she asks quietly.</p><p>He spins around and gapes at her in disbelief. "I can't not go on tour, El. It's massive and all booked and a logistical nightmare-".</p><p>"I don't mean that", she shakes her head.</p><p>"Well what do you mean?", he asks more softly.</p><p>She blows out a slow breath, closing her eyes and resting her forehead against the door jamb. "I can't help but think maybe you're having second thoughts about having a girlfriend whilst on tour... Or at least one with a job that makes her a long distance girlfriend?".</p><p>On edge from the odd vibes she'd been getting from Harry for a few weeks now, and triggered by her annoyance at him seeing whatever the fuck that was from Toby just now, Eloise would admit to suffering from a touch of the red mist in all this. As is her wont in any confrontation, a steely energy soon grips her until she's wound up and spouting off.</p><p>She hadn't expected to say that. Hell, she hadn't been aware of consciously even thinking it yet.</p><p>But his silence - that he doesn't immediately scoff and rebut her suggestion - floors her.</p><p>It sows a firm seed of doubt of her own. She can't bring herself to wait any longer for a response, so slinks dejectedly off to the walk-in wardrobe, thinking of nothing else as she grabs some clothes and heads out the house in record time.</p><p>She doesn't say another word to him in parting. She doesn't dare.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Part N</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A/N: This part has a trigger warning for something that could be sensitive for some... I won't call it out here to avoid any spoilers, but I've dropped some hints so you should get a heads up if it's problematic for you. Or feel free to message me if you want any more info... Xx</p><p> </p><p>25th August 2017 (continued)</p><p>They're both still reeling from their unexpected early morning spat, but the silent treatment wasn't strictly intentional.</p><p>Eloise simmers down a bit whilst in the make-up chair. Taking a long hard look at yourself in the mirror under harsh fluorescent lighting at 7am in the morning is certainly one way to give yourself a bit of a talking to.</p><p>With the red mist abated, she can actually take a minute to stop and think and reason it out.</p><p>Shit, is this what Harry's been seeing when he looks at her lately? Frazzled, stressed and on edge; shoulders hunched defensively.  An exhaustion so deep, poor Lucy's already had to apply a third layer of under-eye concealer.</p><p>If anyone knows about crazy schedules, the weight of heavy expectations and an immense pressure to succeed, it's Harry. She knows she's her own toughest critic - something else they share in common - but feeling like everyone wants a piece of you and scrutinises your every move? He's lived that every day since he was sixteen.</p><p>God, if anyone can understand how she's been feeling, it would be him. She's so lucky to have him.</p><p>And really, how much time has she had for him recently?</p><p>That he gets jealous is nothing new. That he snaps and says more than he means when he's stressed or worried or anxious? Well, that's not a trait of his alone, she'll concede.</p><p>What on earth was she playing at? Pushing his buttons and riling him up and invalidating what he's been feeling? She went too far, and she knows it.</p><p>God, she's tired though.  And on edge from three weeks now of tiptoeing around him, sensitive to the mood she knows he's been trying to keep a lid on. But she gets it; she's nervous about long distance again too.  All the more so when they'll both be under such pressure.</p><p>With a deep breath, she resolves to start making it up to him.</p><p>As a peace offering, she snaps her wardrobe selfie on the way out to set - keen to hear his thoughts on the brunette wig - but an urgent script question has her distracted before she can hit send.</p><p>The rest of the day is just as manic.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Harry has been distracted as well; a little too riled to settle down for their last full day of rehearsals.</p><p>They're sounding great, and know all the tracks and the details of the show inside out and back to front already. There are still details to be refined in California ahead of the first show, but, for now, they're as prepared as they can be, so they blow off some steam instead.</p><p>Goofing around, they stumble across a melody that stirs something in Harry, and he promptly falls into a black hole with Mitch and Tom.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>A good few hours later and they have a new track roughly laid down. Perhaps a fun little something they can polish quickly and debut on tour.</p><p>Fucking 'El. Geddit? Yeah okay, he wouldn't dare... It's just working title; he'll settle on a replacement name soon enough.</p><p>Eloise simply has no idea what she does to him. Of course he's jealous. Of course he's apprehensive about the distance. Of course he'd lashed out like an arsehole. Worryingly true to form.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Shocked when director Harry's first assistant calls "Wrap" for the day, Eloise can't believe it's almost 5pm already.</p><p>Contending with rush hour and wanting some time to speak with Harry properly, she won't have long to get ready before they need to head out again for Liam's early birthday drinks tonight.</p><p>He'd ordinarily be partying it up at his beloved Funky Buddha, but fatherhood might have already calmed him down a bit as he'd decided on Shoreditch House instead.</p><p>Back in her trailer, checking her phone, she feels a flash of indignation that Harry hasn't been in touch.  Her hackles rise all too quickly again.</p><p>Well, fuck it and fuck him! If he's so intent on stewing a little longer, she'll bloody let him. She will go tonight, but she won't reach out to let him know, and will just see him there, presumably.</p><p>Rummaging through a chair piled with clothes in the corner, she finds a dress and decides to head straight to her old flat to get ready with Malin instead.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Surprised that she isn't back already when he arrives home, Harry checks his phone and realises he hasn't heard from her.</p><p>Hmm, that'll be her legendary stubborn streak in action.</p><p>Oh well, he shakes it off. He's been working like a demon, so may as well blow off some steam and catch-up with the boys before he flies back to California and then heads out on tour.</p><p>Tom has plans of his own with some old mates. Mitch blows it off, keen for a quiet night in alone to decompress. Jeff already headed back to LA last weekend.</p><p>He figures she won't go and hopes the extra few hours will help her cool off before he has to face her. Maybe Mitch can do him a solid and help talk her down for him?</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Keeping his head bowed on his way back to the main bar from the toilets, Harry sings the new lyrics from this afternoon under his breath. "I don't know what I'd tell you if you asked me for the truth". He can't get them out of his head, which he always takes to be a good sign.</p><p>As he looks up quickly to orient himself towards their back corner, he stops in his tracks, surprised to see her - from behind, but he'd recognise her anywhere, from any angle. Hanging back surreptitiously, he tries to suss out her mood.</p><p>Seeing her laugh freely with Liam and Niall - Louis is out in LA - only makes him feel more wretched that it's evidently just him pulling her down. He can't help but move on to the chorus. "I don't want your sympathy / But you don't know what you do to me / Oh, Baby".</p><p>With a deep breath, he heads tentatively back towards them and can't help but eye her legs appreciatively in her flippy red floral wrap minidress. They're lengthened further by her Swedish Hasbeen's heeled tan clog sandals, and he's big enough to admit the training is evidently paying off. She's in incredible shape already; lean, toned and tanned.</p><p>George Michael's Faith is playing and he can't help but smile wryly as he sings that under his breath too. "Well I guess it would be nice / If I could touch your body". He tails off with a groan as he catches an inviting glimpse of her cleavage as she turns and laughs at something Niall said, playfully swatting him.</p><p>She must catch him in her peripheral vision as she turns, because he spots the moment she stills and her whole demeanour shifts.</p><p>Taking a steady sip from her champagne flute, she locks eyes with him. Her expression, for once, is fairly unreadable; or maybe he just doesn't want to read what it's telling him?</p><p>This is ridiculous. Their time's ticking and they're both here, but, fucking hell, they can both be stubborn. Who will break first?</p><p>As he schools his features, he thinks, hopes, he spots a minuscule quirk of her lips before she leans across Niall to leave her glass on the bar and whisper in Malin's ear, then promptly spins on her heel and struts off, away from them, away from him. Maybe not then.</p><p>Blowing out a deep breath as he looks dejectedly after her, he heads towards the bar, hoping they can clue him in on what he has to contend with.</p><p>Having to explain arriving alone, he'd already offloaded to Niall and Liam about their spat, but skimmed over the juicier details.</p><p>"Don't even!", Niall sasses. "I said I'm not getting in the middle of whatever nonsense is going on between you both... You need to pull your heads out your arses! It's Liam's night, come on, try and enjoy it".</p><p>Harry's attention falters when, squinting across the crowded bar, he's surprised to see her hugging Suki at a booth on the other side of the dance floor.</p><p>Malin's a little more sympathetic. "She promised her she'd say 'Hi' when we saw her outside. She'll be back; she's just feeling a bit awkward, I think, and doesn't want to risk distracting you from your last night with the boys. You know she hates any fuss or causing a scene, ever".</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Feeling antsy at the thought of public tension with Harry, Eloise had panicked and cowardly dashed off to catch-up with Suki, who she'd bumped into briefly on her way in just now.</p><p>Seeing her approach, Suki cheekily waggles a bottle of champagne to summon her over. Practically skipping towards her in relief, it's not like she needed much incentive.</p><p>She's already pretty tipsy and being rowdy and a little obnoxious, crowing about how Eloise is the star of their new movie, showing off a bit in front of her younger sister, Immy, and some male friends.</p><p>Eloise tries shushing her, getting embarrassed and hating the attention.</p><p>A glimpse of the outline of Harry's back from across the bar has her regretting her choice already.</p><p>Noticing her distraction and discomfort, Suki pours them a glass of champagne each and swiftly drags her upstairs to the quieter rooftop for company whilst she has a cigarette, encouraging her to vent and offload about whatever's got her worked up.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>When they head back down a good while later, Immy's snogging one of the guys, so Suki plucks the champagne bottle from her clutches and tops them up before spinning on her heel and dragging Eloise on to the dance floor.</p><p>"Make Harry come to his senses", she whispers in her ear with a cheeky glint in her eye. "Make him fucking drool. Remind him what he'd stand to lose".</p><p>Laughing her off, Eloise just focuses on enjoying the music instead as the heavy beat reverberates through her body.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>It's hot and sweaty and noisy as hell, so Eloise had blocked it all out and been in her own world, happy to get lost in the music.</p><p>It takes her a while to realise Suki hasn't returned with the topped up glasses she'd promised, having downed the remains of both and promptly swanned off.</p><p>She'd laugh at the irony of the Shake it Off remix playing, but worries she could cry if she dwells on it too much.</p><p>A shot of tequila sounds more appealing than more champagne anyway. How many has she had? She's feeling the effects a bit already. Must be the bubbles. Has she had anything to eat since lunch? She can't quite remember.</p><p>Swatting at grabby hands as she squeezes through to make it to the edge of the crowded dance floor, she can't help but crane her neck to see Harry has shifted. His profile is to her now, rather than his back.  As he talks to Liam in their quieter corner, can see his slumped shoulders and downtrodden expression from here.</p><p>What the fuck is she playing at? Again?! She needs to get her ego in check and meet him halfway. </p><p>Yes, she's a bit hurt at him not rebutting some of the things she'd levelled at him this morning, but, ultimately, she's worried at the prospect of long distance again, just like him.</p><p>She's being a terrible wing-woman for Malin too.</p><p>And she needs a wee.</p><p>And, fucking hell, when did it get so hot and loud in here, she wonders, looking around with a grimace.</p><p>Looking determinedly back across the bar, she's surprised to look up and catch Harry's eye for a split second. With a double take, she realises he looks softer; resigned and regretful, offering her a tentative smile.</p><p>She offers a small, soft grin in return, then cranes back around to signal to Suki.</p><p>But what she sees has her doing another, even more dramatic, double take, cricking her damn neck again in the process.</p><p>Holding her index finger in the air to gesture 'one minute' to Harry, she promptly spins on her heel and rushes towards Suki, who's looking a little frantic, kneeling half over a drunkenly slumped Immy in the booth, exchanging heated words with one of their male friends.</p><p>As she gets closer, she realises Immy appears to be passed out and Suki's looking pretty dishevelled too, with her hair in disarray and her lipstick smudged.</p><p>"Sukes?", she calls out, tentatively heading towards her until she stumbles on the step in her heels and crashes a hip into the booth to catch herself. Oof, ouch. Smooth.</p><p>Craning over her shoulder to look, Suki slumps in relief. "Thank God, El...", she sighs. "Can you help me?". Spinning back around, she snaps at the guy nearest her sister and shoves his hand off her. "Stop touching her!".</p><p>Hauling herself up shakily, she rambles frantically to Eloise as she fusses over her sister. "Shit, we need to get out of here. Are you okay?".</p><p>Eloise reaches out to grab her arm, trying to hold her attention. "Are you okay? Suki, look at me... What's going on?".</p><p>But she's looking the other way again. "I said don't touch her!", Suki snaps. "What did you slip her, you prick?". She reaches over from where she leans over Immy to shove at his chest. "Who the fuck even are you guys?".</p><p>Wait, what? Trying to reach around her to check on Immy for herself, Eloise jumps when she feels a hand at her elbow and cranes around.</p><p>It's her cousin. "Oh, thank God!", she looks back to Suki, who's getting increasingly worked up. "Umm, Malin, can you go and get Harry for me? Niall or Liam too? Anyone, quick!".</p><p>"Sukes! Hey, come on... Shhh, quieten down, alright?", Eloise tries to get her to focus. "Let's just get her out of here".</p><p>"It's not okay! He was fucking pawing at her whilst she was out of it". She's really starting to slur now.</p><p>"She was all over me!". Goading her, he leans forward with an unsettling smirk. "Are you okay? You're acting a little weird... Are you feeling a little weird?".</p><p>What the fuck? Even his mates start looking around awkwardly.</p><p>Suki evidently feels the same. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?", she barks, scowling as it dawns on her. "Oh, my God, what did you do? You fucking creep! What did you do?!".</p><p>Picking up the champagne bottle, for a second Eloise is worried she's going to swing it at him, but she just waggles it in front of her sloppily, as if she's surprised at how heavy it is. "What's in it? What did you do?", she shouts.</p><p>The arsehole smirks as Suki shoves him weakly again. "You tell me? Feeling fuzzy, sleepy, trippy?".</p><p>As Eloise sits back in shock, gaping at him, Suki recoils away and shoves past her to pace wildly in front of the booth, staggering as she does.</p><p>"Shit, Suki, how much did you have?", Eloise hisses, trying in vain to get her attention whilst reaching shakily for Immy's wrist and fumbling as she tries to pat her cheeks to rouse her.</p><p>'Stop fucking panicking, cool it', she chastises herself, 'Focus'.</p><p>"El...?", she hears lowly from behind her and could weep in relief. Whirling around, she sees Harry, with Niall and Malin too, all looking around in confusion.</p><p>Harry has a hand on Suki's elbow, steadying her as he takes in the state of her in shock.</p><p>"El, what-?", he falters when he clocks Immy below her.</p><p>"Oh, thank God...", she slumps in her seat in relief. Shit, when did she start slurring? And why are her ears ringing?</p><p>"What's going on?", he hands off Suki to Niall and steps closer to Eloise in concern.</p><p>Arsehole guy jumps up, "Back off, she's ours", he growls.</p><p>"I don't fucking think so", Harry barks furiously before turning back to Eloise, reaching for her arm. "El, did they take something? Are you okay, baby?".</p><p>"I think it must have been in the champagne. I didn't know. Shit, I'm sorry... I'm so sorry", she babbles, welling up.</p><p>"It's alright, it's okay... I've got you", he pulls her into his arms and drops a kiss to her temple, not caring who's watching. Just needing her touch to ground him whilst he tries to figure out a plan.</p><p>The distraught, panicky look on her face has him rounding back to the guys. "You fucking spiked it?", he growls before craning to look over his shoulder and calling loudly. "Malin, can you get someone from the staff over here please? We need security, right now".</p><p>He's veering between sweet and gentle with her and furious at him, demanding to know exactly what it was. "'Just a fucking Roofie or something?'", he roars.</p><p>As the guys around the table hastily start getting up to make a quick exit, too focused on Eloise, he quite can't bring himself to care. If security doesn't get them on the way out, they can identify the member from the CCTV footage.</p><p>He tries holding on to a stumbling Eloise whilst leaning over to check Immy, but steps quickly back when she gets in the way of Niall trying to wrangle Suki, and tries in vain to position them to block the view from the people in the neighbouring booths starting to look on with interest.</p><p>Malin quickly arrives back with a couple of members of staff and a bouncer in tow. Swiftly ushering them towards a room behind the bar, they've already called an ambulance.</p><p>Harry hands Eloise off to Malin to pick up Immy, whilst Niall supports most of Suki's weight. She's babbling about how they "Can't get papped like this. Reese will kick our arses".</p><p>&gt;</p><p>The staff and paramedics seem suspicious until Harry explains what the guy said.</p><p>"Okay, who's with who?", one paramedic asks.</p><p>"She's with me", he points at Eloise. "That's her friend, Suki, and I'm guessing that must be her sister".</p><p>They check their vitals and take some blood. They're all about the same size, so, judging by the state they're in, it's obvious Immy had the most, then Suki, with Eloise faring best.</p><p>"They're all pretty slight, so it won't have taken much", the paramedic explains.</p><p>When Harry nudges her to ask how much she had, Eloise mumbles from where her head lolls agains his chest, "Just a glass, maybe one and a half". Disorientated and a little uncoordinated, keeping her eyes firmly shut against the harsh light isn't helping her try to stay awake.</p><p>Immy needs to go to hospital, and they want to check Suki out too. "Probably Rohypnol... Could be GHB...", one of the paramedics wagers.</p><p>"GHB?", Harry panics, cradling the back of Eloise's head protectively.</p><p>"Can she normally hold her drink okay?", he crouches down to check her over again.</p><p>"Yeah, pretty well, given her size... But she'd never be like this on just a couple of glasses of champagne".</p><p>"She's fighting it pretty well... You can take her home", he decides. "Keep a close eye on her and try to keep her hydrated. She won't remember this when she wakes up and might get a bit panicky. But if any other symptoms develop or worsen, take her straight to hospital".</p><p>He gulps, eyeing a worried Malin as he pulls out his phone to call his driver.</p><p>"I'll look after her, don't worry", he reassures her. "Greg, mate, are you still close? ...Can you head round the back to the basement door please? I'll be there in five".</p><p>Seeing the paramedics prep seated stretchers for Suki and Immy, Niall asks if they're parked near.</p><p>"We're right out front. We'll have to use the lift with these".</p><p>"Could you maybe pop a blanket over her head to protect her privacy?", Harry suggests thoughtfully. "She could do without the press getting wind of this".</p><p>Pocketing his phone, he gently straightens Eloise up so he can stand. "Baby, can you walk?", he eyes her heels skeptically.</p><p>Dizzy, her head lolls a bit as she struggles to focus on him with hazy, slowly blinking eyes. Well, that's not terribly hopeful.</p><p>"Need a hand, H?", Niall offers.</p><p>He hoists her up easily into his arms, but her head lolls back. "I've got her, thanks mate. Can you just tuck head back under my chin?", he twists to face him. "And maybe come and give me a hand with the doors? Mitch is at the house, he can help at the other end".</p><p>"Am I flashing her underwear?". He twists again to let Malin check and she steps up to tuck her dress under his forearm. "Thanks. I'll get her to call you in the morning, okay? Can you explain and say bye to Liam for us?".</p><p>With that, they're led to the staff-only staircase off the back of the bar's scullery pass.</p><p>Harry hefts Eloise in his arms again as he steps briskly down the corridor behind Niall, cradling her tightly to his chest and cooing words of reassurance whilst keeping an eye on her long legs around door frames and bannisters.</p><p>&gt;<br/>&gt;</p><p>26th August 2017</p><p>Harry watches Eloise like a hawk.</p><p>Feeling nauseous passed soon enough, but the headache will take a while to ease off. It's not like a normal hangover; less sharp, it's duller but more discombobulating.  A sense not helped by that gaping black hole in her memory.</p><p>She remembers them first getting on to the dance floor, but then it becomes increasingly patchy. She can recall the sense of panic at seeing Immy collapsed in the booth, and, through the haze, that flooding sense of relief when she'd turned to see Harry. She remembers only very fleeting snatches with the paramedics, but then nothing.</p><p>She can't remember leaving or getting home or going to bed. She knows Harry was looking after her and trusts him implicitly, but the whole ordeal still feels fucking terrifying.</p><p>They spend all morning in bed with the blinds down and the lights off, trying to lessen her headache; just snoozing, cuddling and talking quietly.</p><p>Calmly, honestly, apologetically.</p><p>About how scary last night was and how worryingly easy it can happen. She vows to be more careful.</p><p>About how relieved she had been to see his face. She's not sure how she'd have felt in that state if it was anyone else. Her knight in shining armour.</p><p>He'll always try to be, but, God, he wishes he'd never need to be. Seeing her with a paramedic again brought back some all too fresh memories.</p><p>That, and last night, puts their silly spat yesterday morning firmly into perspective.</p><p>He admits he'd been sick last night; running to the toilet just in time, after getting her changed and tucking her into bed. Horrified, at the close shave. Feeling wretched, having just had to get her undressed and wrangle her into one of his t-shirts, totally out of it and entirely unaware, let alone able to consent. With regret, at that stupid argument and a day wasted.</p><p>He didn't think she'd show up last night; figuring she'd be stubborn and dig her heels in.</p><p>"I wanted to see you", she reassures him. "I just panicked a bit when I saw you and took the cowardly option, heading over to Suki. Sorry" she grimaces. "That was a dick move in front of your friends...  And, in hindsight, a terrible decision".</p><p>"They're your friends too", he smiles softly at her. "And they already know I can be a jealous prick".</p><p>He'd been so relieved and hopeful when he saw her face soften from across the bar. But when Malin then dashed over, calling for his help, he'd felt sheer panic.</p><p>Feeling reassured that she seems to be okay, he doesn't take much convincing to snatch some sleep. He hadn't slept a wink all night; instead keeping a close eye on her and wanting to ensure he was awake to reassure her in case she woke up confused or disorientated.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Approaching noon, Eloise wakes to Harry's quietly ringing phone whilst he's still asleep.</p><p>Grappling for it in the strewn bed sheet to see it's Niall, she answers quietly and fills him in.</p><p>When Harry stirs to her low whispering, snuggling close and dropping a kiss to her clothed shoulder, she insists they should head downstairs to hang out with Mitch, not wanting to be rude on his last few days with them.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Finding her bag on the kitchen island, where Harry had dropped it after staggering in with her a dead weight in his arms, she isn't surprised to see a string of notifications and missed calls, including messages from Malin, Niall, Liam. And a bunch of hugely apologetic ones from Suki.</p><p>She calls Suki back as Harry potters around the kitchen, making tea and toast, then popping into the living room to check on Mitch.</p><p>Suki's just home and admits she almost shat herself waking up in hospital and seeing Immy unconscious in a bed, with no idea how they got there.</p><p>Liam thoughtfully reassured her that Shoreditch House checked for photos and footage from other patrons after they left. It figures; the last thing they would want is for a story to leak about a drugs offence or for any unauthorised photos to cause upset or damage the reputations of any of their well-known members.</p><p>She hastily pulls up Google, but, thankfully, no reference to last night comes up under her, Suki, Harry, Niall or Liam's names.</p><p>"Phew", she says sitting down cross legged next to Harry on the sofa. "Looks like there's nothing in the press.  And thank God... Dealing with Reese with this headache would not have been fun".</p><p>Mitch throws himself at her, hugging his arms tightly around her waist, with his head resting on her thigh.</p><p>Harry snuggles into her other side after reaching forward to snag the remote control off the coffee table, pulling up Netflix as they all settle down.</p><p>&gt;<br/>&gt;</p><p>28th August 2017</p><p>After another quiet day on Sunday, she'd cancelled her training session the next morning, so enjoys a relative lie in compared to her recent alarm calls.</p><p>Harry accompanies her to set again. She only has a couple of scenes today, but she knows he's keen to keep a close eye on her after Friday night, and make the most of one of his last chances to see her in action as Villanelle, before his busy week ahead.</p><p>Keeping his cap and sunglasses on, he tries to stay low-key - to varying degrees of success. But the crew are evidently quick to cotton on to 'bring your famous boyfriend to work' day.</p><p>However, when they're rehearsing and then the cameras rolling, all eyes are firmly on Eloise anyway. He soon relaxes, settling into a canvas director's chair at the back of the gazebo tent. Watching her performance eagerly on the monitors, he's awed as she slips flawlessly between comic timing and maniacal violence as she brings Villanelle to life, the Russian accent slipping effortlessly from her talented mouth.</p><p>Despite their heart to heart on Saturday morning, he'd not revealed that feeling of ill-ease at her rising star or his worries about needing to fight for her attention, but they were back, and had been at a low simmer all morning.</p><p>However, seeing the moony smiles of the crew watching her from behind the camera as she brings a character from her own imagination to life so convincingly, it's replaced with all-consuming pride. She's incredible.  And she's his.</p><p>One of the episodes they're shooting scenes for this morning is titled, 'Sorry Baby'. It's a fitting reminder each time the clapperboard appears on the monitor at the beginning of each take.</p><p>Seeing her head thrown back, laughing gleefully as they call cut, right then and there, he resolves not to waste another minute worrying about that when he should just be proud of her success and lapping it up.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Sod's law, Harry's still hanging around that afternoon when a stunt goes wrong.</p><p>Cutting between the monitor and looking up past the camera, he eyes Toby wearily as he talks the male actor playing a prison guard through the fight choreography. With his hands all over Eloise as he demonstrates the holds, looking over at the extra, he doesn't seem to notice her uncomfortable grimacing. Harry definitely does.</p><p>When he takes Toby's place, the actor seems distracted by Eloise, nervous and hesitant.</p><p>On the first rehearsal take, he totally fluffs it, turning them the wrong way from camera.</p><p>"Nope! We need to end up on her to segue into the next shot", director Harry calls, frustrated.</p><p>They go again, and it's even worse. Overlooking a step in the choreography, he takes Eloise by surprise and goes too hard. He ends up misstepping, and his grip on her jaw slips, only to slam his palm in an uppercut into her face. She smacks her head into the wall at the impact.</p><p>After a split second of stunned silence, there's a commotion.</p><p>The panic-stricken actor jumps back, begging apologies, as Toby, director Harry and a producer surge towards Eloise, where she's stumbling away from the wall, bent double, with one hand on her face and one to the back of her head. She's a little shaky as they crowd her, dropping out of Harry's sight.</p><p>When he's on his feet and free of the tangled headphones, he hears a concerning shout."Oh shit! Someone call the medic, now".</p><p>Rushing forward, Harry barges past the male actor, still standing awkwardly by the camera, but gets to Eloise just in time to see her shrugging off Toby as he runs a hand down her arm.</p><p>"What the fuck?", she demands, pissed off. It's his job to train everyone on the stunts and ensure they're all safe.</p><p>It draws Harry's attention to the state of her; eyes narrowed in a wince, blood gushing from both nostrils.</p><p>"How did that happen?", she insists flatly.  As she speaks, a spray of blood spews dramatically from her mouth.</p><p>On instinct, the producer angles her forward, trying to avoid getting blood on her costume - just an unflattering boiler suit and headscarf combo. Eloise shoots her an unimpressed look, grunting at the sudden movement and pull of her hand against her head.</p><p>"Oh, leave off!", director Harry chastises. "El, please tell me it's not your teeth? How hard did you hit your head? Shit, where's that medic?", he panics.</p><p>More composed, her Harry steps closer and takes her elbow gently, skeptical that the others have her best interests at heart; probably more concerned with excuses, the wardrobe, or the schedule.</p><p>Her eyes well up as she looks at him. "Shit, baby", he coos, prising her bloody hand away and holding the wad of tissues he'd grabbed gently up to her nose and dabbing blood from her mouth.</p><p>"Open your mouth", he nudges.</p><p>She arches an eyebrow and shoots him a look.</p><p>"Stop it!", he warns with a quiet laugh, manipulating her jaw gently. "Teeth look okay, lips too... It's only her nose, I reckon", he explains.</p><p>Pulling her towards his shoulder, uncaring of his light grey jumper, he peers around the back of her head, feeling through her hair at the crown of her head with gently probing fingers. There's no more blood.</p><p>Tugging again at her elbow, he wraps his other arm around her shoulder comfortingly. "We'll wait for the medic in her trailer, alright?", he tells director Harry before steering her safely away.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>Pulling her on to his lap on the little sofa in her trailer, he passes her the box of tissues.</p><p>She raises her eyebrow at him, baitingly, but he just lifts his hands in surrender. "I'm not saying a word", he says only a tiny bit smugly.</p><p>"You don't need to", she relents, dropping her head to his shoulder with a groan. "That was definitely Toby's third strike".</p><p>"Fucking hell!", he recoils with a whine, "If number two was Friday morning, please don't fill me in on strike one. I've heard and seen quite enough".</p><p>The medic arrives shortly after and confirms her nose is bruised and a bit swollen but doesn't appear broken. She could end up with a couple of black eyes.</p><p>"Oh well, that will save a bit of time roughing me up in the make-up trailer tomorrow morning", she jokes, to Harry's dismay. He rolls his eyes at her so hard he almost gives himself a headache.</p><p>An ice pack and instructions to rest saw to hers - and the resulting egg forming at the back of her head.</p><p>After the medic packs up his kit and leaves her trailer, Harry pulls her back on his lap.</p><p>"Fucking hell, I'm going to need to wrap you in cotton wool and bubblewrap when I leave, aren't I?", he chastises lowly. "Just promise me one thing? No more paramedics or hospitals, okay? You've had more than your fill recently".</p><p>&gt;<br/>&gt;</p><p>2nd September 2017</p><p>Eloise didn't quite manage to uphold her end of that deal.</p><p>Harry had an eventful week. He headed back home on Tuesday to shoot Harry Styles: Live at the BBC with Nick in Manchester for a couple of days - filming musical performances, throwing axes, eating fish and chips, playing bingo at a care home. Classic irreverent Nick fare. He'd also filmed some interviews with international journalists and music channels too.</p><p>After snatching as much quality time with his mum and family as he could manage to squeeze in, he'd returned to London on Friday morning.</p><p>Eager to see him, Eloise heads home after wrapping early, just after lunch.</p><p>She then ferries him to a private practice on Harley Street for a little operation on a tricksy tendon in his right wrist. It's been a recurring complaint over the years, but had been exacerbated by their heavy rehearsal schedule of late.</p><p>He accepted this was his last chance to get it sorted, with just about enough time to recover before the tour kicks off in San Francisco in a few weeks. He's worked too hard not to be playing guitar on opening night.</p><p>In and out in just a few hours, later she cheekily posts a snap of his bandage to her private Instagram account, lewdly implying he'd done the damage wanking too much.</p><p>"Bit close to the bone, baby", he winces when he spots it. "What with your schedule and the tour looming...".</p><p>He wasn't the first to comment that, he realises, scrolling down, sighing to see all his mates having a whale of a time roasting him in the comments.</p><p>"Ha! 'Bone'...", she snorts a laugh, plucking his phone out his dominant hand and dropping it into his left with a pointed look.</p><p>&gt;</p><p>They have a fun, silly, relaxed evening, pootling around the house as he packs - ready for his flight back to LA with Mitch and the rest of the band in the morning.</p><p>They're putting a brave face on it, but already bracing themselves for another goodbye in the morning.</p><p>Finally sorted, with his bags lined up by the bedroom door, her hooks an arm around her waist and tosses her on to the bed, intent on creating some fond memories to tide them over for the next few weeks.</p><p> </p><p>Series continues with '9 | All yours'.</p>
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